The international governing body of motor sports has apologized to local organizers of the Formula One (F1) Korean Grand Prix for its use of the term "Sea of Japan" in a media release to describe the body of waters between South Korea and Japan, a South Korean official said Sunday.
In its race preview document, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) wrote that F1 racing teams concluded their Japanese Grand Prix last weekend and made "a relatively short journey from Suzuka across the Sea of Japan to the South Korean port city of Mokpo."
The Korean Grand Prix is taking place at the Korea International Circuit in Yeongam, near Mokpo, about 400 kilometers south of Seoul. The final race is set to begin at 3 p.m. Sunday.
South Korea and Japan have been at odds over the naming of the waters, with Seoul championing the name "East Sea" over Tokyo's use of "the Sea of Japan."
An organizing official of the Korean Grand Prix has said FIA counterparts have offered a "verbal apology" over the use, and they told him that they weren't aware of political tensions over the naming of the sea.
"They promised not to use 'Sea of Japan' again," the organizing official said. "They said they only followed the style of Google Maps and that they had no political intentions whatsoever."
The organizing team said later Sunday that the FIA has replaced "the Sea of Japan" with "East Sea" in an updated version of the preview.
During a meeting of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) in April this year, South Korea made a strong pitch for the East Sea to be used on official maps of the international community.
The IHO, however, decided not to revise its current "Sea of Japan" designation this time. The next session will be held in 2017.
In a 2009 survey of 944 foreign maps, South Korea has said it found nearly one-third of the maps used both terms.
International organizations formally call the waters the Sea of Japan," but South Korea contends the East Sea should be used at least concurrently. (Yonhap News)
