| Revision as of 10:47, 28 March 2005 view source143.248.31.61 (talk)No edit summary← Previous edit | Revision as of 10:49, 28 March 2005 view source 143.248.31.61 (talk)No edit summaryNext edit → | ||
| Line 30: | Line 30: | ||
| The '''Liancourt Rocks''' are ]s in the ](East Sea). Claimed by ] but administered by ] since 6th century. | The '''Liancourt Rocks''' are ]s in the ](East Sea). Claimed by ] but administered by ] since 6th century. | ||
| They are a part of ], ] Province, Korea. | |||
| Japan regards them as within ], ], ]. | |||
| ==History== | ==History and dispute== | ||
| Dokdo is also known as ](竹島) in Japan and ''Liancourt Rocks'' to the west since the charting of Dokdo by French whaling ship in 1849. It is also claimed by ] after the annexation of Korea in 1910. ] is another islands under dispute. See below. | |||
| Historical identification of the islands is complicated by the presence of the nearby island of ], known as ''Utsuryo-to'' (鬱陵島) in modern Japanese but previously known under the names ''Matsushima'' and ''Takeshima''. | |||
| ⚫ | According to Imperial Korean records, '']'' (]), the first known reference to the islands in the world, proclaiming them a part of the independent Korean island state of ], dates from the ] in ] AD. Usan-guk became a protectorate of ] in ] as ] fell. Usan-guk eventually fell under ] invasion and later was administered directly by the mainland government. | ||
| ===Before 1618=== | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| According to Japanese records, the islands, then known as ''Matsushima'', were granted to the Ooya and Murakawa families of ] (modern ]) by the ] in the ]. The two families were actually two fishermen who happened to be drifted to Ulleung islands in 1616. They found that the islands had not been occupied and asked government a permission to fish and log trees. The permission lasted for about 80 years. The common ] name, Liancourt Rocks, was given by a ] whaling ship in ]. Korea and Koreans always regarded the islands as their territory. For Japanese, it was for practical purpose and out of chance claimed by fishermen who did not have any historical knowledge or legal consequences. Since the forceful annexation of Korea to Japan by the emperial Japan in 1910, Japan claimed them as their territory. The reason why the islands were not inhabitted was due to lootings of Japanese pirates in the Far Eastern seas. Korean government occasionally conquered and erradicated them, but Japanese pirates kept attacking islands and coastlines of Korea. To protect residents, Korea occasionally evacuated some parts of the coast and islands. | |||
| However, '']'' only mentions an island state of Usan-'''guk''', which is also known as an island of Ulleung-do, not two islets of Ulleung-do and Usan-'''do''': 于山國征服, 歳以土宜為貢, '''于山國''', 在溟州東海島, '''或名鬱陵島''', 地方一百里, 恃嶮不服, 伊喰異斯夫, 為何琵羅州軍主, 謂于山人愚悍, 難以威来, 可以計服, 乃多造木偶師子, 分載戦船, 抵其國海岸, 誑告曰, 汝若不服, 則放此猛獣踏殺之, 國人恐懼則降. The hanja "do" (島) refers to island, whereas "guk" (國) refers to state/nation. | |||
| ⚫ | After a request by a Japanese fisherman, on ], ] upon the loss of Korean naval sovereignty after the ] the islands under the name ''Takeshima'' were proclaimed a part of ] in ] under the doctrine of '']''. | ||
| Also in Korean maps of the period such as (팔도총도, 1530), Usan-do is situated to the ''west'' of Ulleung-do. This is contrary to the current location of the Liancourt Rocks.<!--See the note--> | |||
| ===1618-1900=== | |||
| ''Takeshima Tokai Yuraiki Bassho Hikae'' (竹島渡海由来記抜書控), written by Ōya Kyuemon (大谷九右衛門), records that in ] the ] granted the Ōya and Murakawa families of ] (modern ]) the permission to take feudal tenure of Ulleung-do, known at the time as '''Takeshima''' in Japanese. The families were using the sea around the islet for fishing as late as 1696. On the seaway to Ulleung-do were the Liancourt Rocks, known as '''Matsushima''' (松島) by the Japanese, which were used as an intermediate port of call by their fishermen. | |||
| On April 17th, 1693, two Korean fishermen, Ahn Yang-bok (安龍福) and 朴於屯, were captured by the fishermen of the Ōya family and brought back to Japan. ] reported the incident to the Tokugawa shogunate, and the shogunate through Tsushima-han (対馬藩) told the ] (Korea) to tighten the control of Korean transgressors. ''Nanakajo Hento-sho'' (七箇条返答書) for example alleges that Koreans without permission used the Japanese facilities and stole their fishing equipment. In ], when the issue of the attribution of Ulleung-do was raised, the Yi Chosun dynasty told the shogunate to back off from Ulleung-do, because Ulleung-do could be seen from the Korean Peninsula as documented in 東國輿地勝覧. With this the Tokugawa shogunate prohibited the vessels of Tottori-han from going to Ulleung-do. Some Korean scholars claim that the the Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo/Matsushima) also was included among the prohibited islands; however, there was no mention of the Liancourt Rocks in the actual injunction from the shogunate. In fact the Tokugawa shogunate did not prohibit passage to the Liancourt Rocks. <!-- This last sentence is from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs website http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/takeshima/position.html--> | |||
| The location of the Liancourt Rocks is recorded in many maps published in Japan such as ''Kaisei Nippon Yochi Rotei Zenzu'' (改正日本輿地路程全図, Revised Complete Map of Japanese Lands and Roads) published by Sekisui Nagakubo (長久保赤水) in 1779 among others. | |||
| Professor Kim Mun-Gi (金文起) of Pusan University of Foreign Studies claims that he found an old Japanese map titled '''' (朝鮮八道之圖, 1758) that writes Ulleung-do and the Liancourt Rocks as one big island within the Korean territory and so that this map evidences that Japan recognized the Liancourt Rocks as Korean territory. Japanese sources claim that the map only shows that the island called Ulleung-do is a territory of a state called Usan-guk and does not mention the Liancourt Rocks. | |||
| Park Young-Sik (朴炳植), a Korean scholar, argues that ''Historical Geography of Great Japan'' (大日本地名辞書), published by Yoshira Dogo (吉田東伍) on ], ], records that when the local government of ] had inquired of the Japanese Meiji government whether the Liancourt Rocks would be merged into Shimane county, the Meiji government of Japan issued on ], ] that Japan had no relation with Takeshima. However, this refers to the islet of ], not the Liancourt Rocks, as noted on the page 434-435 of ''Historical Geography of Great Japan''. <!-- This is not subject to interpretation. It's on the very book. --> | |||
| ===1900 to 1950=== | |||
| On October 25, 1900, the ] issued (大韓帝國勅令第41号), renaming ] (鬱陵島) as Ul-do (鬱島) and incorporating the islands of Ulleung-do, Chuk-do (竹島) and Sok-do (石島) in the county. A webpage asserts that the sok of Sok-do is a variant form of dok in the ] dialect and that this thus refers to the Liancourt Rocks. | |||
| ⚫ | After a request by a Japanese fisherman, on ], ] upon the loss of Korean naval sovereignty after the ] the |
||
| However, this is problematic, because, | |||
| During ], the island was used as a naval base by the Imperial Japanese Navy. | During ], the island was used as a naval base by the Imperial Japanese Navy. | ||
| Upon Japan's defeat and occupation by the ], ] Instruction #677 of ], ] excluded the islands from Japan's administrative authority. However, the instruction specifically stated that it was not an 'ultimate determination' of the islands' fate, and all other islands listed in the document were eventually returned to Japan. The ] ], which settled the sovereignty of most other disputed islands, did not mention the islands. | Upon Japan's defeat and occupation by the ], ] Instruction #677 of ], ] excluded the islands from Japan's administrative authority. However, the instruction specifically stated that it was not an 'ultimate determination' of the islands' fate, and all other islands listed in the document were eventually returned to Japan. The ] ], which settled the sovereignty of most other disputed islands, did not mention the islands. | ||
| ⚫ | On ], ], the Government of South Korea ordered the army to enforce their claim on the island, and in the same year on ], South Korean volunteer coast guards set up camp on the island. On ], ], two Japanese coast guard vessels landed on the East Islet, drove off the Korean guards and set up a territorial marker, but did not attempt permanent occupation. The Koreans soon returned and several armed skirmishes followed, leading to the sinking of a Japanese ship by Korean mortar fire on ], ]. Japan protested and suggested arbitration at the ], but the offer was rejected by South Korea who has had experienced exactly the same tactics in ] in the early 1900s. A Japanese ship was sunken by Korean coastal fire arms requesting withdrawl from the Korean territory. This led a modernized Japanese army invasion to Korean peninsula. After the incident, South Korea built a ] and ] landing pad on the islet, which it has occupied ever since. | ||
| ===1950 to 1960=== | |||
| ⚫ | On ], ], the Government of South Korea ordered the army to enforce their claim on the island, and in the same year on ], South Korean volunteer coast guards set up camp on the island. On ], ], two Japanese coast guard vessels landed on the East Islet, drove off the Korean guards and set up a territorial marker, but did not attempt permanent occupation. The Koreans soon returned and several armed skirmishes followed, leading to the sinking of a Japanese ship by Korean mortar fire on ], ]. Japan protested and suggested arbitration at the ], but the offer was rejected by South Korea. After the incident, South Korea built a ] and ] landing pad on the islet, which it has |
||
| === |
===Current situation=== | ||
| ⚫ | The issue of sovereignty over the islands was omitted from the 1965 ], and both sides maintain territorial claims. The ] maintains a policy of non-recognition for claims by either side, although several private memoranda recorded in the ''Foreign Relations of the United States'' between 1949 and 1951 appear to side with Japan's view and are occasionally brought up as "proof" of American support |
||
| ⚫ | The issue of sovereignty over the islands was omitted from the 1965 ], and both sides maintain territorial claims. The ] maintains a policy of non-recognition for claims by either side, although several private memoranda recorded in the ''Foreign Relations of the United States'' between 1949 and 1951 appear to side with Japan's view and are occasionally brought up as "proof" of American support. | ||
| According to ''Takeshima no rekishi chirigakuteki kenkyu'' (An Historical and Geographical Study of Takeshima) by a researcher Kawakami Kenzo for ] written in ], the Koreans were not aware of the Liancourt Rocks before the 20th century, as seen in the lack of documents pertaining to the Liancourt Rocks. Kenzo also asserts that Koreans did not have adequate naval navigation to reach Dok-do/Takeshima. Furthermore, he asserts that the Koreans on Ulleungdo could not see Dokdo, due to the heavy forestation on ]. | |||
| ===1990 to present=== | |||
| The dispute has periodically flared up again, typically when South Korea acts to change the islets or their status (for example, building a wharf in ] or declaring them a natural monument in ]), resulting in a reassertion of the territorial claim by Japan. In 2002, two Japanese textbooks questioning ]'s claim to the islets were published, leading to protests in ]. Another conflict arose in March 2005, when the prefectual assembly of ] passed a bill to designate ] as "Takeshima Day," to commemorate the centenary of Japan's claim to the islands. | The dispute has periodically flared up again, typically when South Korea acts to change the islets or their status (for example, building a wharf in ] or declaring them a natural monument in ]), resulting in a reassertion of the territorial claim by Japan. In 2002, two Japanese textbooks questioning ]'s claim to the islets were published, leading to protests in ]. Another conflict arose in March 2005, when the prefectual assembly of ] passed a bill to designate ] as "Takeshima Day," to commemorate the centenary of Japan's claim to the islands. | ||
| Line 80: | Line 60: | ||
| According to the ] constitution, the entire ] and surrounding islands, including Liancourt Rocks, belongs to ] (as in the ] constitution) and North Korean' state press heavily criticizes ] for their "attempts to invade the Republic territory." | According to the ] constitution, the entire ] and surrounding islands, including Liancourt Rocks, belongs to ] (as in the ] constitution) and North Korean' state press heavily criticizes ] for their "attempts to invade the Republic territory." | ||
| == |
==External links== | ||
| ⚫ | * | ||
| <!-- NOTE: Precisely two links per side, both to government sites, and Korea goes first as it has de facto control. If you wish to change the links, please discuss on Talk Page first. --> | |||
| ⚫ | * | ||
| * | * | ||
| * | * | ||
| * | * | ||
| * | |||
| * | | |||
| * ] | |||
| ] | ] | ||
Revision as of 10:49, 28 March 2005
| Korean Name | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 독도 |
| Hanja | 獨島 |
| Revised Romanization | Dokdo |
| McCune-Reischauer | Tokto |
| Japanese Name | |
| Hepburn Romaji | Takeshima |
| Kanji | 竹島 |
The Liancourt Rocks are islets in the Sea of Japan(East Sea). Claimed by Japan but administered by South Korea since 6th century.
They are a part of Ulleung County, North Gyeongsang Province, Korea. Japan regards them as within Okinoshima Town, Oki District, Shimane Prefecture.
History and dispute
Dokdo is also known as Takeshima(竹島) in Japan and Liancourt Rocks to the west since the charting of Dokdo by French whaling ship in 1849. It is also claimed by Japan after the annexation of Korea in 1910. Daemado is another islands under dispute. See below.
According to Imperial Korean records, Samguk Sagi (1145), the first known reference to the islands in the world, proclaiming them a part of the independent Korean island state of Usan-guk, dates from the Silla Dynasty in 512 AD. Usan-guk became a protectorate of Goryeo in 930 as Silla fell. Usan-guk eventually fell under Jurchen invasion and later was administered directly by the mainland government.
According to Japanese records, the islands, then known as Matsushima, were granted to the Ooya and Murakawa families of Hoki province (modern Tottori) by the Tokugawa Shogunate in the 1650s. The two families were actually two fishermen who happened to be drifted to Ulleung islands in 1616. They found that the islands had not been occupied and asked government a permission to fish and log trees. The permission lasted for about 80 years. The common English name, Liancourt Rocks, was given by a French whaling ship in 1849. Korea and Koreans always regarded the islands as their territory. For Japanese, it was for practical purpose and out of chance claimed by fishermen who did not have any historical knowledge or legal consequences. Since the forceful annexation of Korea to Japan by the emperial Japan in 1910, Japan claimed them as their territory. The reason why the islands were not inhabitted was due to lootings of Japanese pirates in the Far Eastern seas. Korean government occasionally conquered and erradicated them, but Japanese pirates kept attacking islands and coastlines of Korea. To protect residents, Korea occasionally evacuated some parts of the coast and islands.
After a request by a Japanese fisherman, on February 22, 1905 upon the loss of Korean naval sovereignty after the Russo-Japanese War the islands under the name Takeshima were proclaimed a part of Shimane prefecture in Japan under the doctrine of terra nullius.
During World War II, the island was used as a naval base by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
Upon Japan's defeat and occupation by the Allies, SCAP Instruction #677 of January 29, 1946 excluded the islands from Japan's administrative authority. However, the instruction specifically stated that it was not an 'ultimate determination' of the islands' fate, and all other islands listed in the document were eventually returned to Japan. The 1952 Treaty of San Francisco, which settled the sovereignty of most other disputed islands, did not mention the islands.
On January 12, 1953, the Government of South Korea ordered the army to enforce their claim on the island, and in the same year on April 20, South Korean volunteer coast guards set up camp on the island. On June 27, 1953, two Japanese coast guard vessels landed on the East Islet, drove off the Korean guards and set up a territorial marker, but did not attempt permanent occupation. The Koreans soon returned and several armed skirmishes followed, leading to the sinking of a Japanese ship by Korean mortar fire on April 21, 1954. Japan protested and suggested arbitration at the International Court of Justice, but the offer was rejected by South Korea who has had experienced exactly the same tactics in the occupation and annexation in the early 1900s. A Japanese ship was sunken by Korean coastal fire arms requesting withdrawl from the Korean territory. This led a modernized Japanese army invasion to Korean peninsula. After the incident, South Korea built a lighthouse and helicopter landing pad on the islet, which it has occupied ever since.
Current situation
The issue of sovereignty over the islands was omitted from the 1965 Basic Relations Treaty, and both sides maintain territorial claims. The United States maintains a policy of non-recognition for claims by either side, although several private memoranda recorded in the Foreign Relations of the United States between 1949 and 1951 appear to side with Japan's view and are occasionally brought up as "proof" of American support.
The dispute has periodically flared up again, typically when South Korea acts to change the islets or their status (for example, building a wharf in 1996 or declaring them a natural monument in 2002), resulting in a reassertion of the territorial claim by Japan. In 2002, two Japanese textbooks questioning Korea's claim to the islets were published, leading to protests in South Korea. Another conflict arose in March 2005, when the prefectual assembly of Shimane passed a bill to designate February 22 as "Takeshima Day," to commemorate the centenary of Japan's claim to the islands.
In a survey performed in both countries, the level of interest in Japan in relation to the islets was substantially lower, whereas over 99% of people surveyed in Korea believed that the islets were part of their country. Korea shows the islets in all of their official maps, and includes them in weather forecasts as well.
The Republic of Korea currently has stationed a small police unit on the islands, and there are a handful of Korean citizens who list the islands as their residence.
According to the North Korean constitution, the entire Korean peninsula and surrounding islands, including Liancourt Rocks, belongs to North Korea (as in the South Korean constitution) and North Korean' state press heavily criticizes Japan for their "attempts to invade the Republic territory."
External links
- Cyber Dokdo Web Page by Gyeongsangbuk-Do Province,Korea
- Korean Government's Policy About Dokdo
- Dispute Over Dokdo (Korean view)
- Japan's Position on Dokdo (by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- Dokdo Museum in Ulleung-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-Do, Korea
- Dokdo.net | Dokdo.com
- Bombing of Dokdo by US