The foreign ministry conveyed its concern to China over its declaration of a "no-sail zone" in the Yellow Sea that falls within South Korea's exclusive economic zone(EZZ) in the provisional measures zone(PMZ) where the two sides' EEZs overlap.

In a text message to the local press on Saturday, an official from the ministry said there is no issue regarding each side's military training in the PMZ outside territorial waters, citing South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS).

The official said, however, that the ministry delivered concerns to Beijing as there may be issues regarding its no-sail zone designation within the PMZ that excessively restricts the freedom of navigation.

The ministry said it is in close consultation with the defense ministry and other agencies on whether the designation is in line with international maritime laws, pledging to ensure there is no infringement of Seoul's legitimate rights and interests.

Earlier, Newsweek reported that a regional branch of the China Maritime Safety Administration(MSA) in Jiangsu Province banned ships from entering three designated areas in the southern Yellow Sea from 8 a.m. Thursday to 8 a.m. on May 27, local time.

According to a map disclosed by the outlet, the three areas mostly lie within the PMZ, while two of them violate South Korea's EEZ.