(English version) (2013) South Korea's Enforcement Decree of Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone Act promulgated by Presidential Decree No. 9162 on 20 September 1978, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 24424 on 23 March 2013.

*This Law enforces/implements the Law on South Korea's Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone Act Law No. 3037 promulgated on 31 December 1977, as amended by Law No. 14607 promulgated on 21 March 2017

  • Summary

This legal document contains the Republic of Korea's Enforcement Decree of Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone Act promulgated by Presidential Decree No. 9162 on 20 September 1978, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 24424 on 23 March 2013.

As stated in Articles 2 and 3 of this Enforcement Decree respectively, the specific coordinates of the basepoint constituting the straight baseline (if used) to measure the ROK's territorial sea in general and the Korea Strait will be listed in Tables 1 and 2 annexed at the end of the document respectively. For the Korea Strait, the mix of 3-nautical mile and 12-nautical mile territorial sea regimes is applied.

The document also includes specific details for the required application for prior notice to the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the innocent passage of foreign warship or government vessels operating for non-commercial purposes and for the conduct of certain activities of all foreign ships in the ROK's territorial sea.

by Tran Nguyen Quan

(English version) (2017) South Korea's Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone Act Law No. 3037 promulgated on 31 December 1977, as amended by Law No. 4986, promulgated on 6 December 1995, and as Amended by Law No. 14607 promulgated on 21 March 2017

*This Law amends South Korea's Territorial Sea Law (No. 3037 of 31 December 1977)

  • Summary

This legal document contains the Republic of Korea's Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone Act promulgated on 31 December 1977, as amended by Law No. 14607 Promulgated on 21 March 2017.

Similar to its first version in 1977, the newly amended law includes, inter alia, the definition of the internal water, territorial sea, and the contiguous zone of the ROK. The law also mentions the use of both normal low-water line baseline and straight baseline from which the territorial sea and the contiguous zone are measured.

Notably, regarding the matter of innocent passage, Article 5.1 of the law still requires that foreign warships and government vessels operating for non-commercial purposes shall give prior notice "to the authorities concerned in accordance with the Presidential Decree" to conduct innocent passage through the ROK's territorial sea.

Finally, as amended by Law No. 14607 on 21 March 2017, the Law now has a new article clarifying that "any matter not regulated by this Act shall be subject to treaties concluded and promulgated under the Constitution and the generally accepted rules of international law."

by Tran Nguyen Quan

(English version) South Korea's Territorial Sea Law (No. 3037 of 31 December 1977)

*This Law was amended by the Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone Act Law No. 3037 promulgated on 31 December 1977, as amended by Law No. 4986, promulgated on 6 December 1995, and as Amended by Law No. 14607 promulgated on 21 March 2017 in 2017 (the newest amendment). 

  • Summary

This legal document contains the Republic of Korea's Territorial Sea Law (No. 3037 of 31 December 1977) promulgated in 1977. The law includes, inter alia, the definition of the internal water, territorial sea, and the contiguous zone of the ROK. The law also mentions the use of both normal low-water line baseline and straight baseline from which the territorial sea and the contiguous zone are measured.

Notably, regarding the matter of innocent passage, Article 5.1 of the law requires that foreign warships and government vessels operating for non-commercial purposes shall give prior notice "to the authorities concerned in accordance with the Presidential Decree" to conduct innocent passage through the ROK's territorial sea.

by Tran Nguyen Quan

(English version) Japan Law on the Exclusive Economic Zone and the Continental Shelf (Law No. 74 of 1996)

  • Summary

This legal document contains Japan's Law on the Exclusive Economic Zone and the Continental Shelf (Law No. 74 of 1996). Article 1 establishes Japan's Exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and proclaims Japan's sovereign rights and other rights over it as a coastal state as prescribed in Part V of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Article 2 establishes Japan's continental shelf and proclaims Japan's sovereign rights and other rights as a coastal State in accordance with the UNCLOS.

Article 3 provides specific sovereign rights and regulations of Japan over the EEZ and continental shelf. Article 4 stipulates that "here a treaty provides otherwise for matters provided for in this law, the provisions of the treaty shall apply", which includes UNCLOS.

by Tran Nguyen Quan

(English version) Japan's Cabinet Order No.434 of 2001: Enforcement Order of the Law on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone (as amended by Cabinet Order No.210 of 1977, Cabinet Order No.383 of 1993, Cabinet Order No.206 of 1996, and Cabinet Order No.434 of 2001).

*This Law enforces/implements the Law on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone (Law No. 30 of 1977, as amended by Law No. 73 of 1996)

  • Summary

This legal document contains Japan's Cabinet Order No.434 of 2001: Enforcement Order of the Law on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone (as amended by Cabinet Order No.210 of 1977, Cabinet Order No.383 of 1993, Cabinet Order No.206 of 1996, and Cabinet Order No.434 of 2001).

This legal document clarifies the criteria and specific coordinates for Japan's baseline (low-water baseline and straight baseline) mentioned in Article 2 of Japan's Law on Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone (Law No.73 of 1996). The Order also includes specific coordinates for the basepoint of the Territorial Sea regime for the Soya Strait, the Tsugaru Strait, the eastern channel of the Tsushima Strait and the western channel of the Tsushima Strait, and the Osumi Strait.

by Tran Nguyen Quan

(English version) Japan's Law on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone (Law No. 30 of 1977, as amended by Law No. 73 of 1996)

*This Law amended Law on Territorial Sea (Law No.30 of 1977)

  • Summary

This legal document contains Japan's Law on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone (Law No. 30 of 1977, as amended by Law No. 73 of 1996). Article 1 of this Law confirms the 12-nautical mile Territorial Sea regime measured from the outer limit of the baseline (low-water/straight). The specific coordinates of basepoints forming the baseline to separate the internal water from other maritime zones and the criteria to establish such baselines are provided in Cabinet Order No.210.

Article 3 regards hot pursuits. Article 4 establishes a 24-nautical mile contiguous zone measured from the outer limit of the baseline from which the territorial sea is measured.

This law maintains, inter alia, the supplementary provisions in the 1977 Law on the Territorial Sea indicating a 3-nautical mile Territorial Sea regime for the Soya Strait, the Tsugaru Strait, the eastern channel of the Tsushima Strait and the western channel of the Tsushima Strait, and the Osumi Strait.

by Tran Nguyen Quan

(English version) Japan's Law on the Territorial Sea (Law No.30 of 2 May 1977)

*This Law was amended by the Law on Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone (Law No.73 of 1996)

  • Summary

This legal document contains Japan's Law on the Territorial Sea (Law No.30 of 2 May 1977). Notably, although it was established prior to the conclusion of the UNCLOS III in 1982, Article 1 of this Law confirms the 12-nautical mile Territorial Sea regime measured from the outer limit of the baseline (low-water/straight). The specific coordinates of basepoints forming the baseline to separate the internal water from other maritime zones and criteria to establish such baselines are provided in Cabinet Order No.210

The supplementary provisions annexed to this Law apply a 3-nautical mile Territorial Sea regime for the Soya Strait, the Tsugaru Strait, the eastern channel of the Tsushima Strait and the western channel of the Tsushima Strait, and the Osumi Strait.

by Tran Nguyen Quan

(English version) Australia Proclamation of Outer Limits (Torres Strait) of 4 February 1983, pursuant to section 7 of the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973

  • Summary

This legal document contains Australia's Proclamation of Outer Limits (Torres Strait) of 4 February 1983, pursuant to section 7 of the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973, promulgated on 4 February 1983.  This document includes mainly the term definitions, regulations, and coordinates of the basepoints regarding the outer limits of the territorial sea adjacent to certain islands comprised within the State of Queensland.

by Tran Nguyen Quan

(VNM-N) Vietnam's Partial Submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in Respect of the North Area in the South China Sea (Executive Summary)

Summary:

This legal document contains the Executive Summary of Vietnam's partial submission to the CLCS regarding Vietnam's continental shelf extending beyond 200 nautical miles in the north area of the South China Sea (SCS), submitted on May 7th, 2009. This partial submission was made one day after the Joint submission between Malaysia and Vietnam on their continental shelf extending beyond 200 nautical miles in the southern part of the South China Sea (also southern to the area subject to this partial submission of Vietnam). The area subjected in this partial document is illustrated in Figure 1 (p.5) attached below,

Noticeably, in Section 4 Absence of Disputes, the document states "the area of continental shelf which is the subject of this Submission is of overlapping interests expressed by relevant coastal States. Nevertheless, subject to the provisions of UNCLOS 1982, Vietnam is of the view that the area of continental shelf that is the subject of this Submission is not a subject of any overlap and dispute.".

Figure 1 from page 5 of the Partial Submission

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Joint submission by Malaysia and Vietnam to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf made on 6 May 2009 - in the southern part of the South China Sea (Executive Summary)

  • Summary:

This legal document contains the Executive Summary of the Joint Submission by Malaysia and Vietnam to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) regarding their continental shelf in the Southern part of the South China Sea (SCS). In the defined area in the southern part of the SCS mentioned in the document and illustrated in Map/Figure 1 of the document (p.5), the continental shelf of the two countries extends beyond 200 nautical miles and overlaps. Besides the overlapping continental shelves, in Section 4, the two countries also acknowledge that (1) there are unresolved disputes within the defined area in Figure 1 between Vietnam-Malaysia and between each of the two countries with another/other third state party. (the Philippines and China). From page 6 onwards, is Table 1 annexed to the Document specifying geographic coordinates in World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84).

Figure 1 (p.8 of the Joint Submission)

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