Dokdo
Korea and Japan need to find a way to solve the sensitive issue surrounding Dokdo!
Dokdo is the easternmost island of Korea. As a Korean territory, Dokdo is comprised of 89 small rock islets, in addition to Dongdo (East Islet) and Seodo (West Islet). It’s been a sovereign territory of Korea for more than a thousand years.
However, the government of Shimane Prefecture of Japan announced that Dokdo is their territory and created Takeshima Day in a controversial move.
According to the Samguk sagi (“History of the Three Kingdoms”), the tiny kingdom of Usanguk became a part of Silla in 512. From this time onwards, Koreans recognized Dokdo and Ulleungdo as their kingdom’s territory.
Such understanding of Dokdo as a Korean territory is reflected even in the Japanese history books of the era. Published in 1667, the Onshu Shicho Goki (Records on Observations in Oki Province") is the oldest Japanese text that records the existence of Dokdo. It reveals that the northernmost border of Japan is the Oki Islands.
The Sankoku Tsūran Zusetsu, which was published in 1785 by Hayashi Shihei, a renowned geographer of Japan, also shows that Dokdo is Korea’s territory. Not only are Ulleungdo and Dokdo painted in the same color as mainland Korea, but a footnote also states that the islands are Korean territories.
The Dajokan, the highest state council in Japan, issued a final edict stating that Ulleung Island and a nearby island, Dokdo, were Korean territories that had nothing to do with Japan.
Why does Japan claim sovereignty over Dokdo when the island is identified as a Korean island in its own history books, ancient maps and official documents?
According to the Royal Ordinance No. 41 promulgated during King Kojong''s reign in 1900, the county governor of Ulleungdo was assigned to oversee Dokdo. During the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, Japan placed Dokdo under the jurisdiction of Shimane Prefecture. Then Japan annexed Korea as a colony in 1910.
After Japan surrendered to the Allied Powers in 1945, Japan was forced to return all territories previously taken by force. When Korea recovered its sovereignty, Dokdo was also returned to the country.
However, Japan continues to make territorial claims over Dokdo!
Japan''s territorial claim over Dokdo is a denial of Korea''s complete restoration of its sovereignty.
