Establishing a Marine Protected Area in the Waters Surrounding Dokdo: Necessity and Legality

Dokdo is an area with considerable marine biodiversity, which plays an important role in historical, geographical, and marine tourism. Recently, climate change has increased water temperatures in its surrounding waters, significantly threatening the balance of the marine ecosystem in Dokdo. This study analyzes South Korean and international laws as grounds for the necessity of establishing marine protected areas and the legal validity of such establishment to protect Dokdo’s marine ecosystem and increase the island’s social, cultural, and educational perspectives and marine tourism value within literature reviews and doctrinal study. Moreover, South Korea needs coordination and cooperation with Japan to prevent potential conflicts and implement measures for conflict management by designating Dokdo and its surrounding waters as marine protected areas.