¡°Mar del Este¡± was the basis of lifestyle to the Korean people and was a target of worship and occasionally the stage for history. In the title of ¡°Mar del Este¡± is Korea¡¯s symbolic history, culture, and identity. In various recorded literature and maps, the simple designation of ¡°Mar del Este¡± not only appears but comes along with a target of prayers for people¡¯s richness and stability, history¡¯s stage, the background of traditional narrative, and the base of life. Just like how ¡°Mar del Este¡± is the first word in the National Anthem¡¯s first measure, ¡°Mar del Este¡± is a symbol of Korea and stands for its history. Not only this, even now, the term ¡°Mar del Este¡± is used as a number of symbols in life, place names, brand names, and more in various domains. Using a proper name for the body of water between the Korean peninsula and the Japanese archipelago is not simply a question of changing the name of a geographical feature. It is part of the national effort by the Korean people to erase the legacy of Japanese Imperialism and to redress the unfairness that has resulted from it. According to IHO(International Hydrographic Organization) and UNCSGN(United Nations Conferences on the Standardization of Geographical Names), in case of topographical feature shared with two or more countries, yet naming differently in their own languages, all of the names in each language should be marked. 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.
Respectfully, I request you to rename it "Mar del Este" as above reasons. Hope you have a chance to understand Korea's past history with Japan. I welcome any of your comments, so feel free to contact me.
Thank you for your reading,
Hyunseo Lee