국제 학술지에 발표된 연구 논문에서 동해의 표기 현황

강동진,임병호,장소영,김경렬,김윤배 한국해양과학기술원 2009 Ocean and Polar Research Vol.31 No.1

We have named the sea surrounded by the Korean Peninsula, Primorye of Russia, and Japanese Islands as the East Sea. Historically this region has been variously named the East Sea, Chosun Sea, and, more recently, Japan Sea and Sea of Japan. Since the scientific research papers can play important roles on the naming the sea, the status of naming the East Sea in international scientific journals was investigated. Among 472 papers in 46 international journals that we assessed, Japan Sea (or Sea of Japan) was used in 322 papers (68.2%), East Sea was used in 21 papers (4.4%), and parallel usage of East Sea and Japan Sea accounted for 27.3% (129 papers). In all scientific papers before the early 1980s, East Sea was not used. Since the first parallel usage of East Sea and Japan Sea in 1985, these designations has been increasingly used. After 2004, the parallel usage has replaced the single designation of Japan Sea. We have named the sea surrounded by the Korean Peninsula, Primorye of Russia, and Japanese Islands as the East Sea. Historically this region has been variously named the East Sea, Chosun Sea, and, more recently, Japan Sea and Sea of Japan. Since the scientific research papers can play important roles on the naming the sea, the status of naming the East Sea in international scientific journals was investigated. Among 472 papers in 46 international journals that we assessed, Japan Sea (or Sea of Japan) was used in 322 papers (68.2%), East Sea was used in 21 papers (4.4%), and parallel usage of East Sea and Japan Sea accounted for 27.3% (129 papers). In all scientific papers before the early 1980s, East Sea was not used. Since the first parallel usage of East Sea and Japan Sea in 1985, these designations has been increasingly used. After 2004, the parallel usage has replaced the single designation of Japan Sea.

국내 대표 해양·수산 과학논문 분석을 통한 우리나라 주변 바다 이름표기에 대한 제언

변도성,최병주,BYUN, DO-SEONG,CHOI, BYOUNG-JU 한국해양학회 2018 바다 Vol.23 No.3

지난 20년간(1998-2017년) 한국해양학회지(바다)와 한국수산과학회지에 실린 한글 논문 중 우리나라 주변 바다 이름을 지도에 표기한 논문들을 대상으로 그 표기 방법을 살펴보았다. 지도에 표기된 바다 명칭들의 형태는 크게 세 가지 - 'East Sea(동해)와 Yellow Sea(황해)', 'East Sea(동해), Yellow Sea(황해), South Sea(남해)', 'East Sea(동해), West Sea(서해), South Sea(남해)' - 가 있다. 'East Sea'는 모든 논문에서 'East Sea'로 표기된 반면, 'Yellow Sea'는 'West Sea'와 혼용해서 사용되고 있었다. 'Korea Strait(대한해협)' 대신 'South Sea'의 사용 빈도도 높았다. 이 결과는 연구자들이 해안선으로부터 가까운 연안해역을 우리나라를 기준으로 지리적 방위에 근간하여 부를 때 사용하는 바다 명칭과 주변해에 대한 국제적인 바다 명칭을 혼용하여 사용하고 있음을 보여 준다. 따라서 우리나라 해양 수산 연구자들이 바다 이름표기에 관한 기준을 세우고 일관성 있게 표기하는 것이 시급하다. 이와 관련하여 이 연구에서는 연구논문 작성 시에 주변해와 우리나라 연안해역에 대한 바다 명칭을 서로 구분하여 사용할 것을 제안하였다. 즉, 주변해는 국제적으로 통용되고 있는 'East Sea(동해)', 'Yellow Sea(황해)', 'Korea Strait(대한해협)', 'East China Sea(동중국해)'로 사용하고, 이들 주변 바다에 포함되어 있는 연안해역은 우리나라를 기준으로 상대적 방위에 근거한 'Coastal Sea off the East Coast of Korea(한국 동쪽 연안 바다)', 'Coastal Sea off the West Coast of Korea(한국 서쪽 연안 바다)', 'Coastal Sea off the South Coast of Korea(한국 남쪽 연안 바다)' 등으로 표현할 수 있다. 다른 표현으로는 'East Korea Coastal Zone', 'South Coastal Zone of Korea', 'West Korea Coastal Zone'으로도 표현할 수 있다. 작은 규모의 특정 해역의 경우 해양지명(해상지명과 해저지명)을 사용하여 연구해역을 표기할 수 있다. We grouped the names attributed to the seas surrounding the Korean Peninsula in maps published in two major Korean ocean and fisheries science journals over the period from 1998 to 2017: the Journal of the Korean Society of Oceanography (The Sea) and the Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science (KFAS). The names attributed to these seas in maps of journal paper broadly were classified into three groupings: (1) East Sea and Yellow Sea; (2) East Sea, Yellow Sea, and South Sea; or (3) East Sea, West Sea and South Sea. The name 'East Sea' was dominantly used for the waters between Korea and Japan. In contrast, the water between Korea and China has been mostly labelled as 'Yellow Sea' but sometimes labelled as 'West Sea'. The waters between the south coast of Korea and Kyushu, Japan were labelled as either 'Korea Strait' or 'South Sea'. This analysis on sea names in the maps of 'The Sea' and 'KFAS' reveals that domestic researchers frequently mix geographical and international names when referring to the waters surrounding the Korean Peninsula. These inconsistencies provide the motivation for the development of a basic unifying guideline for naming the seas surrounding the Korean Peninsula. With respect to this, we recommend the use of separate names for the marginal seas between continental landmasses and/or islands versus for the coastal waters surrounding Korea. For the marginal seas, the internationally recognized names are recommended to be used: East Sea; Yellow Sea; Korea Strait; and East China Sea. While for coastal seas, including Korea's territorial sea, the following geographical nomenclature is suggested to differentiate them from the marginal sea names: Coastal Sea off the East Coast of Korea (or the East Korea Coastal Zone), Coastal Sea off the South Coast of Korea (or the South Coastal Zone of Korea), and Coastal Sea off the West Coast of Korea (or the West Korea Coastal Zone). Further, for small or specific study areas, the local region names, district names, the sea names and the undersea feature names can be used on the maps.

역사를 통해 본 한국인들 생활 속의 東海

이영춘 역사실학회 2011 역사와실학 Vol.45 No.-

The name of the sea, East Sea(東海, Donghae) has been used by Koreans and Chinese since the first century B.C. Furthermore this name represented Korea, as people said East Sea meaning Korea. Coins issued in Korea in the 13th century bore the inscription of this very name. In the examples shown above, East Sea had a great influence on Korean lives. In history books people have learnt many interesting stories and historical facts from the East Sea. In the Three Kingdom era,Buyeo kingdom moved its capital to the east coast, there is also a record that Goguryo kingdom claimed its territory to the East Sea. There are many records about whales which were representative of the East Sea. A king of Shilla wanted to be buried in the rock of the East Sea so that he could become a mighty dragon of the East Sea. When a diplomat was detained in an enemy kingdom, using a fable of the East Sea, the rabbit and the turtle, he was able to escape from the enemy country. The East Sea was regarded as a God and a mighty being due to its vastness, power, imposing and mystical appearance and as a result religious rituals were carried out at a national level twice a year for 1500 years. Many shrines and altars for rituals were built in different regions. Sometimes there were struggles between regions for the rights to the rituals. Due to natural topography there was little difference in the water level between high and low tides on the east coast, as a result many Korean researchers and scholars took interest in this phenomena, resulting in many scholars taking their study themes from this fact. Withstanding that their theory were more focused on Confucian metaphysical philosophy and less scientific, however this showed many Korean scholars and (researchers) were very interested in the natural phenomena of the East Sea and searched for an explanation. The East Sea with beautiful scenery and startling natural phenomena gave much inspiration and ideas to writers and poets who left many impressive works. All in all the ideals expressed in these work were loyalty to their mother country,wishing for harmony and love of humanity for all nations in the world. The name of East Sea has been very familiar to Korean people and has been used by Korean people for many thousands of years. We hope this name is permanently used not only by Korean people but also by all humanity in the world.

러시아측 동해 북서부 해역과 한국측 동해 남서부 해역 트롤 조사에 어획된 어류의 종조성 및 양적변동

손명호 ( Myoung Ho Sohn ),윤상철 ( Sang Chul Yoon ),이성일 ( Sung Il Lee ),윤병선 ( Byung Sun Yoon ),차형기 ( Hyung Kee Cha ),김종빈 ( Jong Bin Kim ),( Pavel Kalchugin ),( Sergey Solomatov ) 한국수산해양기술학회 2015 수산해양기술연구 Vol.51 No.3

To examine species composition, abundance and biomass of fishes in the northwestern East Sea of Russian EEZ, trawl survey were conducted at 31 sampling stations from 2006 to 2008. Also, trawl survey were conducted at 21 sampling stations in the southwestern East Sea of Korean EEZ from 2006 to 2008. A total of 67 fishes were collected in the northwestern East Sea of Russian EEZ, a total of 39 fishes were collected in the southwestern East Sea of Korean EEZ. Among them, a total of 53 fishes were collected in the northwestern East Sea of Russian EEZ only, and a total of 25 fishes were collected in the southwestern East Sea of Korean EEZ only. Mean abundance per area which caught by trawl survey in the northwestern East Sea ranged from a high of 116,478 inds./km2 in 2008 to a low of 19,737 inds./km2 in 2006. And mean abundance per area in the southwestern East Sea ranged from a high of 89,129 inds./km2 in 2006 to a low of 8,234 inds./km2 in 2008. Mean biomass per area which caught by trawl survey in the northwestern East Sea ranged from a high of 11,333 kg/km2 in 2008 to a low of 2,439 kg/km2 in 2006. And mean biomass per area in the southwestern East Sea ranged from a high of 6,273 kg/km2 in 2006 to a low of 1,062 kg/km2 in 2008. Cluster analysis, based on a Bray-Curtis similarity matrix of fourth root transformed data of number of species and individuals per area, showed division into three different groups by depth in the northwestern and southwestern East Sea.

러시아측 동해 북서부 해역과 한국측 동해 남서부 해역 트롤 조사에 어획된 어류의 종조성 및 양적변동

SOHN, Myoung Ho,YOON, Sang Chul,LEE, Sung Il,YOON, Byung Sun,CHA, Hyung Kee,KIM, Jong Bin,Kalchugin, Pavel,Solomatov, Sergey 한국수산해양기술학회 2015 수산해양기술연구 Vol.51 No.3

To examine species composition, abundance and biomass of fishes in the northwestern East Sea of Russian EEZ, trawl survey were conducted at 31 sampling stations from 2006 to 2008. Also, trawl survey were conducted at 21 sampling stations in the southwestern East Sea of Korean EEZ from 2006 to 2008. A total of 67 fishes were collected in the northwestern East Sea of Russian EEZ, a total of 39 fishes were collected in the southwestern East Sea of Korean EEZ. Among them, a total of 53 fishes were collected in the northwestern East Sea of Russian EEZ only, and a total of 25 fishes were collected in the southwestern East Sea of Korean EEZ only. Mean abundance per area which caught by trawl survey in the northwestern East Sea ranged from a high of $116,478inds./km^2$ in 2008 to a low of $19,737inds./km^2$ in 2006. And mean abundance per area in the southwestern East Sea ranged from a high of $89,129inds./km^2$ in 2006 to a low of $8,234inds./km^2$ in 2008. Mean biomass per area which caught by trawl survey in the northwestern East Sea ranged from a high of $11,333kg/km^2$ in 2008 to a low of $2,439kg/km^2$ in 2006. And mean biomass per area in the southwestern East Sea ranged from a high of $6,273kg/km^2$ in 2006 to a low of $1,062 kg/km^2$ in 2008. Cluster analysis, based on a Bray-Curtis similarity matrix of fourth root transformed data of number of species and individuals per area, showed division into three different groups by depth in the northwestern and southwestern East Sea.

온라인 공간상의 동해 지명 표기에 관한 연구

최미선(Misun Choi),양보경(Bokyung Yang) 성신여자대학교 한국지리연구소 2009 應用地理 Vol.- No.28

The East Sea, a body of water between Korea and Japan, is now widely called ‘Sea of Japan’ in foreign countries. The name ‘Sea of Japan’ was given to this body of water to replace its original name ‘East Sea" when Korea lost its sovereignty to Japanese colonial rule. Restoring the original name ‘East Sea’ to the currently known ‘Sea of Japan’ became an international issue when Korea officially announced its historical claim to the area at the UN conference in 1992. Misrepresentation of the name over the water body is found more widespread online which reflect offline information. This study was prompted by the understanding that correct and fair naming of the East Sea online is a matter of supreme urgency. To understand the current online naming situation of the ‘East Sea’, this study reviewed 100 websites of various countries around the world, and the mass media and map makers. In addition, ‘the 20 websites for special supervision’ selected in 2007 by the report of the Northeast Asian History Foundation, who is focused on renaming the Sea of Japan to East Sea, were also closely examined. Then, the websites were categorized according to their use of the name of East Sea or Sea of Japan. The categorizes are: ‘East Sea only / Sea of Japan only’, ‘Double equal name: East Sea / Sea of Japan’, ‘Double equal name: Sea of Japan / East Sea’, ‘Mixed usage’, ‘Blank/no marking)’ and ‘others’. The efforts of the associations or organizations were also categorized into ‘governmental’ ‘academic’, and ‘private’. The results of this study are as follows: First, according to 100 websites, the majority used ‘Sea of Japan only’. The use of ‘mixed usage" was the second majority. Secondly, two of ‘the 20 websites for special supervision’ have recently changed their naming of Sea of Japan to East Sea. For example, Wikipedia changed to ‘blank(no marking)’, and Welt Atlas to ‘Double equal name: East Sea / Sea of Japan’, which means they are aware of the naming issue of East. Sea.

북극해 항로의 동해루트가 독도문제 등에 미치는영향 연구 -안보・군사 등 지정학적 측면을 중심으로-

박성황 한일군사문화학회 2021 한일군사문화연구 Vol.31 No.-

중국의 부상에 따라 미중 패권경쟁이 가시화되고 있는 현실에서 미국・일본・인도・호주가 주도하는 <인도-태평양 전략>과 중국이 주도하는 <일대일로 비전>이 각각 새로운 해양질서를 구축하고자 한다. 이같은 새로운 해양질서 충돌의 시행착오 무대는 세계 도처의 해양지역이다. 이런 와중에서 한국은 3면이 바다인 점에서 새로운 양대 해양전략의 충돌에서 예외적으로 존재할 수 없는 상황이다. 특히 동해바다는 미국과 가장 강력한 동맹국인 일본의 서해안 전지역과 연결되어 있어 일본으로서는 해양안보상 급소와 같은 중요성을 지닌 지역이다. 한편, 바람직하지 않는 지구온난화 현상으로 인해 ‘북극해의 역설’이 성립되어 냉대와 불모의 지대로 인식되었던 북극지방이 활기를 띠게 되고 북극해 항로가 각광을 받는 이변이 진행되고 있다. 기상학적 이변과 기존 물류수송의 제반 문제점들로 인해 북극해 항로의 필요성이 더욱 제기되고 있는데 남방항로에 비해 북극해 항로는 항행거리가 국가와 도시에 따라서는 60%까지 단축될 수 있다. 또한 말라카해협과 수에즈운하를 경유하는 남방항로가 해적출몰과 주변국들의 분쟁 등 잦은 해상사고로 인해 오래전부터 대체항로가 필요한 상황이었다. 이러한 이유로 물류수송의 원활화에 전력을 경주하고 있는 상당수의 국가들은 북극해 항로에 관심을 갖고 있음은 물론, 북극해 개발 등에도 적극 참여하고자 하는 것이 현실이다. 그중에서도 중국은 북극해에 접해 있지도 않고, 북극에서 무려 3,000km나 떨어져 있지만, 스스로를 ‘근북극국가(近北極國家)’로 규정하면서 북극 문제의 중요한 이해당사자(Stakeholder)로서 북극에 개입할 권리가 있다고 주장하고 있다. 이같은 상황에서 개설되는 북극해 항로중 독도 인근을 통과하는 동해루트는 한・중・일 삼국은 물론 유럽국가들과 북극연안국가들도 이용하는 국제적 해로로 이용될 가능성이 크다. 이중 동해 루트를 가장 많이 이용할 것으로 예상되는 중국이 동 항로 본격 운항을 계기로 동해에서의 해양세력을 확대할 가능성이 높고 미국과 일본이 이를 견제할 가능성이 크다. 이러한 과정에서 독도를 한 가운데 두고 있는 동해루트에는 제반 위험요소가 산재해 있다고 볼 수 있다. 따라서 본 논문은 이러한 강대국들의 해양전략 충돌과 북극해 항로 개설시 예상되는 동해루트 주변의 제반 위험요소를 공격적 현실주의 입장에서 살펴보고자 한다. 특히 동지나해와 남지나해, 센카쿠열도 등에서 미국・일본・동남아국가들과 해양 세력갈등을 진행중인 중국이 최근들어 동해에 대해서도 해양세력을 확대하려는 움직임과 중・러의 군용기 합동훈련 등 일련의 위험요소 들의 배경과 의미를 조명해 보고 이같은 움직임이 북국해 항로 동해루트에 미치는 영향을 점검해 본다. 보다 구체적으로는 독도영유권 문제 부상, 미・일 대(對) 중국의 해양세력 갈등 그리고 한・미・일 대(對) 중・북・러 대립구도에서 오는 마찰 등으로 구분하여 분석하였다. 또한 이에 대한 우리 정부의 대책으로는 첫째, 북극해 항로 개설이 현실화되기 이전에 정부차원에서 울릉도와 독도 근해를 항행하는 외국선박에 대한 종합적인 대책을 마련해야 한다. 둘째, 북극해 항로중 동해루트 운항부분에 대해서는 적어도 한국이 주도권을 확보할 수 있어야 한다. 우리가 창의적이고 선제적인 방법으로 주변국을 리드하는 자세가 필요하다. ... With the rise of China, competition for supremacy between the United States and Chnia is becoming visible, and the Indo-Pacific Strategy led by the United States, Japan, India, and Australia and the One-to-One Road Vision, led by Chnia, each seek to establish a new maritime order. The trial and error stage of this new ocean order conflict is in maritime regions all over the world. In the midst of this, Korea cannot be exceptionally present in the conflict between the two new maritime strategies as the three sides are sea. In particular, the East Sea is connected to the entire west coast of Japan, the most powerful alliance with the United States, so it is an area of equal importance to Japan for maritime security. Meanwhile, due to the undesirable global warming phenomenon, the “paradox of the Arctic Ocean” has been established, and the Arctic region, which was recognized as a cold and barren region, is invigorated, and The Arctic Ocean Route is in the limelight. The East Sea Route, which passes near Dokdo, among the Arctic Sea routes opened by such changes in the global environment, is highly likely to be used as an international sea route used by European countries and Arctic coastal countries as well as Korea, China and Japan. Of these, China, which is expected to use the East Sea route the most, is highly likely to expand maritime power in the East Sea with full-scale operations on the East Sea route. There is also a concern that the East Sea region will turn into a sharp confrontation between Korea, the United States, Japan and China, Russia, and North Korea. Therefore, this paper aims to geopolitically examine the propulsion trends of neighboring countries on the Arctic Ocean route and the confrontation of maritime forces in Northeast Asia, as it is necessary to analyze the collision dynamics of the East Sea route brought about by the East Sea route in advance. In particular, China, which is in conflict with the US, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries in the East China Sea, the South China Sea, and the Senkaku Islands, has recently moved to expand its maritime power in the East Sea as well as the background of a series of risk factors such as joint training of military aircraft between China and Russia. Let’s shed light on the meaning and examine the effect of this movement on the East Sea route of the Northern Sea route. As a countermeasure by the Korea government, first, before the opening of the Artic Ocean route becomes a reality, the government should prepare comprehensive countermeasures for foreign ships navigating near Ulleungdo and Dokdo. second, Korea should be able to secure at least the initiative in the East Sea route operation part of the Artic Ocean route. It is necessary for us to lead the neighboring countries in a creative and proactive way. Third, cooperation with South Korea, Japan, North Korea, and Russia, which actually have terrtorial sovereignty on the East Sea, is important. This paper pointed out the need to strengthen Korea’s status by developing a cooperative channel for the East Sea countries, including the need for cooperation between Korea and Russia. In the East Sea route of the Arctic Ocean, Dokdo is located in the middle of the East Sea regionally, and if we deal with it well, it can be located at the center of international exchanges and mutual interests. But if we don’t deal with it properly, it can be positioned at the center of international friction and conflict.

역사를 통해 본 한국인들 생활 속의 東海

李迎春(Lee Young-Choon) 역사실학회 2011 역사와실학 Vol.45 No.-

The name of the sea East Sea(東海 Donghae) has been used by Koreans and Chinese since the first century B.C. Furthermore this name represented Korea as people said East Sea meaning Korea. Coins issued in Korea in the 13th century bore the inscription of this very name. In the examples shown above East Sea had a great influence on Korean lives. In history books people have learnt many interesting stories and historical facts from the East Sea. In the Three Kingdom era Buyeo kingdom moved its capital to the east coast there is also a record that Goguryo kingdom claimed its territory to the East Sea. There are many records about whales which were representative of the East Sea. A king of Shilla wanted to be buried in the rock of the East Sea so that he could become a mighty dragon of the East Sea. When a diplomat was detained in an enemy kingdom using a fable of the East Sea the rabbit and the turtle he was able to escape from the enemy country. The East Sea was regarded as a God and a mighty being due to its vastness power imposing and mystical appearance and as a result religious rituals were carried out at a national level twice a year for 1500 years. Many shrines and altars for rituals were built in different regions. Sometimes there were struggles between regions for the rights to the rituals. Due to natural topography there was little difference in the water level between high and low tides on the east coast as a result many Korean researchers and scholars took interest in this phenomena resulting in many scholars taking their study themes from this fact. Withstanding that their theory were more focused on Confucian metaphysical philosophy and less scientific however this showed many Korean scholars and (researchers) were very interested in the natural phenomena of the East Sea and searched for an explanation. The East Sea with beautiful scenery and startling natural phenomena gave much inspiration and ideas to writers and poets who left many impressive works. All in all the ideals expressed in these work were loyalty to their mother country wishing for harmony and love of humanity for all nations in the world. The name of East Sea has been very familiar to Korean people and has been used by Korean people for many thousands of years. We hope this name is permanently used not only by Korean people but also by all humanity in the world.

미국의 동아시아 진출과 동해

김하영 ( Ha Young Kim ) 고려대학교 역사연구소 (구 역사학연구회) 2012 사총 Vol.76 No.-

This study aims to look into the changing values of East Sea in the history of the United States advance to East Asia. When profit-seeking whalers advanced to East Sea in the mid-19th century, East Sea was the ground for whale hunting. In the early 20th century, the United States as a growing maritime nation did not take any distinct policy regarding East Sea. The end of the Second World War and the formation of international Cold War system after 1945 changed American interests in East Asia. Confronting with communist countries, the United States formed military alliances with Japan and South Korea. Thus East Sea got a new importance as the space for securing American strategic interests. During the Korean War, East Sea as the sea of confrontation was also utilized as transportation route as American vessels carried military materials and personnel for the conduct of war. The nature of East Sea as the sea of confrontation was clearly revealed when American intelligence ship Pueblo was captured by North Korean navy on East Sea in January 1968. In human history, oceans have been used in different ways such as the source of resources, the route for transportation, the route for the exchange of knowledge and culture, or the instrument for power. For the last one and half century, the value of East Sea to the United States changed with the changing American interests in East Asia. East Sea was the ground for realizing the interests of whalers in the 19th century. With the changing international politics and growing American involvement in East Asia in the 20th century, the United States has been using East Sea as an instrument for power projection in order to secure American strategic interests in East Asia. This position will continue with the increasing importance of East Asia for the United States.

환동해 국제관계의 역사와 지정학적 맥락

배규성 영남대학교 독도연구소 2018 독도연구 Vol.- No.24

동해의 역사는 지정학 이론과 결합되어 전개되어 왔다. 역사기록에 의하면, 지정학 이전 의 시기인 고대에서 중세까지 동해는 환동해 연안지역 농어민들의 생활(어업과 채집)의 터 전이자 무역 및 문물교류의 ‘열린 바닷길’이었다. 근대기, 일본과 조선의 개항기 동안 동해는 제국주의의 식민지 쟁탈의 바다였다. 미국의 페리제독에 의해 개항된 일본은 청일전쟁(1894-1895)과 러일전쟁(1904-1905)의 승리 를 통해 조선과 동해의 제해권을 장악했고 북방으로 진출했다. 미국과 일본의 환동해를 둘러싼 이러한 제국주의 팽창은 마한의 ‘해양세력론’에 기초해 있다. 1914년 제1차 세계대전이 발발하자 일본은 독일 제국에 대한 전쟁을 선포하고 거의 저항 없이 서태평양에 있는 독일 식민지(북마리아나군도, 캐롤라인군도 및 마샬군도)를 재빨리 장악했다. 전쟁이 끝난 후 국제연맹은 일본에 이들 지역에 대한 위임통치권을 주었지 만, 일본은 인종주의와 문화적 차이 때문에 대동아공영권(大東亞共榮圈, the Greater East Asia Coprosperity Sphere)’을 구축했다. 그러나 결국 일본의 태평양 전쟁 패전으 로 일본이 강점했던 식민지와 점령지가 해방되었다. 이렇게 1차 세계대전에서부터 태평양 전쟁의 시기까지는 주축지역의 세력인 독일과 중국이 안쪽초생달지역과 바깥쪽초생달지역 으로, 즉 해양으로 진출하지 못하도록 안쪽초생달지역인 일본과 바깥쪽초생달지역인 미국 이 협력하였으나, 제1차 세계대전 이후 서구세력의 인종주의적 정책과 문화적 차이에 실망 한 일본이 하우스호퍼의 생활권이론을 도입하여 대동아공영권을 추진하자 미국과 대립했 고, 결국 미국에 패배했다. 이 시기동안 동해는 일본의 제국주의가 지배하는 바다였다. 맥킨더의 심장지역이론과 더불어 스파이크만의 주변지역이론은 제2차 세계대전 이후 소 련 공산주의의 팽창을 막기 위한 미국의 봉쇄정책에 이용되었다. 제2차 세계대전 기간 중 미국은 일본에 의해 림랜드가 통합되는 것을 막기 위해 대륙세력인 소련과 협력하였지만, 2차 대전이 끝난 후, 다시 대륙세력인 소련이 림랜드를 통합하는 것을 막기 위해 패전국인 일본을 해양세력으로서 다시 동맹국으로 끌어들여 대륙세력 소련에 의한 림랜드의 통합을 막았다. 따라서 2차 대전 이후-냉전기 동안 동해는, 특히 냉전의 전환점이 된 한국전쟁 (1950) 이후 남북한이 대치하고 미국과 일본 그리고 소련과 중국이 지원하는 냉전의 바다 가 되었다. G2 중국의 등장으로 탈냉전 이후 오늘날의 지정학은 냉전기 소련의 자리를 중국이 대체 한 형세를 이룬다. 즉, 미국은 대륙세력인 중국이 림랜드를 통합하는 것을 막기 위해 해양세 력으로서 일본과 동맹하여 중국을 포위한다. 이것이 바로 오늘날 동아시아에서의 새로운 미중 신냉전 체제의 핵심이다. 따라서 동해는 북한의 나진항과 두만강 유역 도시 훈춘을 통해 동해로의 출구를 마련한 중국과 미국을 중심으로 남북한과 일본, 러시아가 개입하는 신냉전의 바다가 될 것이다. 해양의 핵심적 의미는 “연결”과 “소통”에 있다. 그러나 동시에 “경쟁과 갈등의 장”, “대 립의 장”, “팽창/침략의 통로”가 될 수도 있다. 오늘날까지도 동해는 역사적으로 동해를 중심으로 펼쳐져 온 환동해 연안국들 간의 지정학적 맥락을 여전히 내포하고 있다. “연결”, “소통”, “협력”보다 “경쟁”, “갈등”, “분쟁”이 동해를 지배하고 있다. The history of the East Sea has been developed in conjunction with geopolitical theories. According to historical records, from ancient times to the Middle Ages(pre-geopolitics), the East Sea was open to trade and cultural exchanges as well as a living space for the people living in the coastal areas of the East Sea Rim. In modern times, during the opening period of Japan and Korea, the East Sea was a sea of imperialist contests for colony. Japan, which was forcibly opened by Admiral Perry of the United States, took control of Chosun and the East Sea through the victories of the Sino-Japanese War(1894-1895) and the Russo-Japanese War(1904-1905), and expanded to the north. The imperialist expansions of Japan and the United States around the East Sea is based on Mahan's theory of Sea Power. When the First World War broke out in 1914, Japan declared war on the German empire and quickly gained control of the German colonies(the Northern Mariana Islands, the Caroline Islands and the Marshall Islands) in the western Pacific with little resistance. After the war, the League of Nations gave Japan mandate over these regions. While from World War I to the Pacific War, the United States in outer crescent area together with Japan in inner crescent area have prevented pivot(continental) forces such as Germany and China from expanding into inner crescent and outer crescent, ie, the ocean,after World War I, Japan disappointed with the racist policies and cultural differences of the Western powers constructed the Greater East Asia Coprosperity Sphere(大東亞共榮圈) by introducing Karl Haushofer's living space theory(Lebensraum), but failed by being defeated in the Pacific war. During this period, the East Sea was dominated by Japanese imperialism. In addition to Mackinder's Heartland theory, Spykman's Rimland theory have been used in the US containment policy to prevent the expansion of Soviet communism after World War II. During World War II, the United States cooperated with the Soviet Union, a continental force, to prevent the unification of the Rimland by Japan, but after the end of World War II, the United States brought back Japan as a sea power to its allies to prevent the integration of rimland by the Soviet Union, a continental force. Therefore, from the end of Second World War to the end of Cold War, the East Sea became a sea of cold war between the United States along with South Korea, Japan and the Soviet Union with North Korea, China. With the advent of China as G2 in the post-Cold War era, today's geopolitics around the East Sea is similar to that of the Cold War era, but with China replacing the Soviet Union. In other words, the United States allied with Japan as a sea power surrounds China in order to prevent China, a continental power from integrating Rimland. This is the essence of the new Cold War system in East Asia today. Thus, the East Sea will become a sea of a new cold war between the United States and China with a North Korean sea port Nazin and Tumen river city Hunchun as a exit to East Sea. The core meaning of the sea lies in "Connection" and "Communication". At the same time, however, it may also be a "Field of Competition, Conflict and Confrontation" or "Path of Expansion/Invasion." Up to now, the East Sea still contains the geopolitical context among the East Sea coastal nations, Therefore, "competition", "conflict" and "conflict" rather than "connection","communication" and "cooperation" appear to dominate the East Sea.