Hi, I am a high school student currently living in Korean and happened to visited your website https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/OC5/PACIFIC2009/showclimatmap.pl?MapType=js and was deeply distressed to find that you have chosen to name designate the East Seas as ‘Sea of Japan.’

It seems extremely inappropriate and frankly appalling, that a site run by the Department of Commerce dealing with international oceanographic data would be so ill informed to blatantly use of such designation with complete lack of regard for the dispute between the two countries. Your site should educate not spread misinformation. In fact, any map or corresponding data should be corrected as soon as possible so that this sort of misinformation is not allowed to continue. 

The proper name usage for the body of water between Korea and Japan is not simply a question of naming a geographic area but is part of a national effort by the Korean Republic to erase the legacy of Japanese Imperialism and to redress the unfairness that has been resulted from that period. The way African-Americans were enslaved, so was the Korean people during Japan's colonization.

I urge you to use 'East Sea' to describe the body of water in question or to use both Korean and Japanese designation simultaneously (e.g. 'East Sea/Sea of Japan') in your contents and maps. According to IHO and UNCSGN, in case of topographical feature shared with two or more countries, yet naming differently in their own languages, all the names in each language should be marked. Also as of January 2019 IHO has insisted talks resume between the two countries to come to an agreement about the region or will otherwise eradicate ‘Sea of Japan’ at the next conference. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), which formulates international guidelines for nautical charts, accepted Korean allegations and proposed that the term "Sea of Japan,” be eradicated. 

Once Korea and Japan agree on a common designation, that is in accord with the general rule of international cartography, we will then follow the agreed-on designation

While the world is ravaged by not only by Covid-19, but racial injustice and discrimination, I feel that you should do the right thing. It is not just a matter of what's right, but a matter of correcting a wrong.  

I ask that you contact me with changes and look forward to visiting your site with the implemented change. You can email me at ashleylsylee@gmail.com with your response, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. And I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,  

Ashley Lee