Rodong Sinmun Tuesday urges this in a bylined article.

The East Sea is a recognized designation as the Korean nation named it before any others and widely used it at home and abroad from the early period of human civilization, the article notes, and goes on:

Japan registered the East Sea of Korea as the "Sea of Japan" in the IHO in 1929 by taking advantage of its position as a suzerain state.

Japan's claim to unilaterally mark the sea between Korea and Japan as the "Sea of Japan" is no more than sheer sophism and brigandish logic in disregard of principled international practice governing the marking of seas.

Marking the East Sea of Korea as the "Sea of Japan" should have already been corrected as it was a product of the Japanese imperialists' policy of colonial rule over Korea and their moves for expansion.

Nevertheless, Japan has persistently insisted on unilaterally marking the "Sea of Japan" while intensifying its moves to grab Tok Islets, pursuant to its hostile policy toward the DPRK and blinded by its territorial expansion, far from making any apology and reparation for the crimes it committed during its colonial rule over Korea.

In the new century Japan has more vociferously called for unilateral marking of the "Sea of Japan". It has become desperate in its moves to let the international community recognize the name of "Sea of Japan" by setting in motion its foreign ministry and embassies in various countries as well as various kinds of its publications, media and Internet websites with huge financial investment.

To properly settle the issue of marking the sea between Korea and Japan is not an issue related to the name of the sea. This is a serious issue related to the territorial integrity of Korea, a seagirt country, as it decides whether it protects sovereignty over all its territorial waters or not.

The Korean people will never tolerate Japan's moves to change the designation for the East Sea of Korea.