The Cases of International Standardization of Sea Names and Their Implications for Justifying the Name East Sea

바다 이름의 국제적 표준화 사례와 동해 표기 정당화에의 시사점

  • Published : 2007.12.31

Abstract

This study aims to categorize and analyze internationally standardized sea names based on their origins. Especially noting the cases of sea names using country names and dual naming of seas, it draws some implications for complementing logics for restoring the name East Sea. Of the 110 names for 98 bodies of water listed in the book titled Limits of Oceans and Seas, the most prevalent cases are named after adjacent geographical features; followed by commemorative names after persons, directions, and characteristics of seas. These international practices of naming seas are contrary to Japan's argument for the principle of using the name of archipelago or peninsula. There are several cases of using a single name of country in naming a sea bordering more than two countries, with no serious disputes. This implies that a specific focus should be given to peculiar situation that the name East Sea contains, rather than the negative side of using single country name. In order to strengthen the logic for justifying dual naming, it is suggested, an appropriate reference should be made to the three newly adopted cases of dual names, in the respects of the history of the surrounding region and the names, people's perception, power structure of the relevant countries, and the process of the standardization of dual names. In order to endow East Sea with the meaning of the east of the Eurasian continent, westerners' perception on the Far East should be elaborated in more detail.

이 연구는 국제적으로 표준화된 바다 이름을 그 기원에 따라 분류하고 분석하는 것을 목적으로 한다. 특히 국가명을 사용하는 바다 이름과 두 개의 이름을 병기하는 경우에 주목하여 동해-일본해 이름을 둘러싼 논리를 평가하고자 한다. '해양과 바다의 경계' 책자에 수록된 98개 바다의 110개 이름을 분석한 결과, 인근 지리적 실체의 이름을 사용하는 경우가 가장 많으며, 다음으로 개인 이름, 방위, 바다의 특성 등이 사용된 것을 알 수 있다. 이러한 다양한 기원의 바다 이름은 해양을 나누는 열도나 반도의 이름을 사용하는 것이 일반적인 원칙이라고 하는 일본의 주장과 배치된다. 여러 국가에 접하고 있는 바다가 한 국가 이름을 사용하면서도 심각한 분쟁이 없는 경우가 많은 것은 단일 국가의 이름을 사용하는 것이 부당하다는 네거티브 방식의 주장보다는 동해 명칭의 강력한 상징성을 강조하는 것이 더 바람직하다는 시사점을 준다. 병기의 필요성을 정당화하기 위해서는 최근 병기가 결정된 세 개의 사례로부터 해당 지역과 명칭의 역사적 배경, 인식, 관련 국가의 세력 구조, 병기의 과정 등의 측면에서 시사점을 찾는 것이 중요하다. 동해에 유라시아의 동쪽이라는 의미를 부여하기 위해서는 극동지역에 대한 서양인들의 인식에 대한 연구가 선행되어야 함이 지적된다.

Keywords

References

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