The Korean Embassy here said Wednesday United States cable news channel CNN has begun using both "Sea of Japan" and "East Sea" in its reports referring to waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

CNN is among several major U.S. media firms, including USA Today and the Los Angeles Times, to change their policy to alter the name of the seas off Korea's east coast.

Until recently, the waters were referred to only as the Sea of Japan.

Embassy officials said CNN used the term East Sea when it reported on a midair encounter earlier this month between a U.S. spy plane and North Korean fighters.

Officials said the government has consistently asked CNN to use East Sea in its reports.

They added that their campaign to expand the use of the term will continue.