Virginia weighed in on a long-standing dispute between South Korea and Japan Thursday. The state's House of Delegates voted 81-15 to approve a two-line bill that requires all school text books approved by the Board of Education to now refer to the body of water separating the two countries not only as the Sea of Japan, but also by its Korean name, the East Sea.
(SOUNDBITE) DELEGATE TIM HUGO, THE MAJORITY CAUCUS CHAIRMAN IN VIRGINIA HOUSE OF DELEGATES, SAYING:
"So we're making sure it adds on East Sea, sort of co-branding on that body of water."
It is a source of intense bitterness for Koreans that the name "Sea of Japan" was standardized worldwide while Korea was under Japanese colonial rule. But Japan argues the name is recognized by the United Nations and most countries.
Hundreds turned out for the vote that was a victory for the state's estimated 82,000 Korean Americans.
(SOUNDBITE) KUCHUL CHONG, VICE PRESIDENT OF KOREAN-AMERICAN GREATER RICHMOND AREA
