The South Korean government says it opposes the International Hydrographic Organization’s (IHO) calling the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan as the “Sea of Japan,” and it offered to simultaneously use the "East Sea" and the "Sea of Japan."

A government official said it was a response to a request by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), which has recently asked South Korea to clarify its position on the issue by May 2.

The IHO has not updated the name of the sea for over 50 years. Currently, the IHO calls the East Sea the Sea of Japan as decided in 1953. South Korea did not comment nor try to change the name at the time as it was engaged in the Korean War.

The South Korean government has been demanding the simultaneous use of the two names from 1992, immediately following its membership in the United Nations.

North Korea, which has been proposing collaboration with the South on getting the body of water called the “East Sea,” has also been requested by the IHO to submit its opinion. North Korea reportedly prefers to call it the East Sea only.