Posted February. 17, 2012 08:02,
To a Korean-American groups request for using the moniker East Sea, the official name used by Korea, the U.S. State Department responded that it will keep referring to the body of water separating Korea and Japan as Sea of Japan.
In a letter to the New York Korean-American Parents Association, which made the request, the State Department said that while it understood Koreas use of the name "East Sea," Washingtons long-standing and consistent policy is to refer to the body of water as Sea of Japan.
Signed by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell, the letter said the U.S. hopes that Korea and Japan seek an agreement on the name of the sea through the International Hydrographic Organization.
The Korean-American association informed The Dong-A Ilbo of the letter Thursday. The letter was in response to the groups request for a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to petition Washingtons use of East Sea early this month.