뉴스레터

Academic Conference "The Implications of Historical, Territorial Issues for Northeast Asian Politics"

On November 24, the Northeast Asian History Foundation held an academic conference at Lotte Hotel on Jeju Island entitled "The Implications of Historical, Territorial Issues for Northeast Asian Politics." The conference mainly set out to study, analyze, and seek resolutions with regards to the implications Korea's historical, territorial issues with Japan are having on the diplomatic, security relations between Korea, China, and Japan as well as Korea's exercise of sovereignty over the island Dokdo.

On issues related to the South China Sea, presentations were given by Lee Dong-ryul (Dongduk Women's University), Choi Hee-sik (Kookmin University), Ko Bong-jun (Chungnam National University), Kim Dong-wook (Korea Institute for Maritime Strategy), and Lee Ki-beom (The Asan Institute for Policy Studies). Kim Sook-hyun (Institute for National Security Strategy) presented about the four Kuril Islands, while Lee Myong-chan (NAHF) focused his presentation on the Okinawa issue. Kim Yong-min (Konkuk University) introduced a European case of territorial dispute.

At a time when territorial, maritime issues involving the South China Sea are being suspected to be a precursor to a competition for hegemony between the United States and Japan, performing analyses in tandem with the changing circumstances should be important for related countries in being prepared beforehand. The presentations given at the academic conference will be published into a book in 2019.

New Publication "Japan's Illusory Claims of Sovereignty Over Dokdo"

The NAHF Dokdo Research Institute published a new book entitled "Japan's Illusory Claims of Sovereignty Over Dokdo." The publication is the second in a series about sovereignty over the Korean island Dokdo followed by the first the institute published in the first half of 2018 under the title "Territorial Sovereignty Over Dokdo and Maritime Territories." In the new book's first part titled "Review of Korea's Territorial Sovereignty Over Dokdo," Doh See-hwan, director of the Japanese Military Comfort Women Research Center at NAHF, points out how the matter of Korea's exclusive sovereignty over the inherently Korean island is linked to the matter of Japan's colonial responsibility. Doh also reveals the legal errors in Japan's sovereignty claims over Dokdo. NAHF Research fellow Yi Saang-kyun traces Japan's understanding of the island through historical atlases published during its colonial rule of Korea. The book's second part on "Criticisms of Japan's Sovereignty Claims Over Dokdo" delves into the holes in Japan's rationale for claiming sovereignty over the island, which has continued to shift its focus ever since the Korean government declared the "Peace Line" in 1952. Appended to the book are copies of basic sources for those interested in further studying the Dokdo issue, including the Empire of Korea's Imperial Ordinance no. 41, the Japanese government's ban on traveling to Ulleungdo, the Daijokan Order confirming that Ulleungdo and Dokdo are not part of Japanese territory, and the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty.

Dokdo Exhibition Room Opened at Chungmoo Education Center

On November 20, a ceremony titled "Chungmugong's Love for Country Lives on Through Dokdo" was held to celebrate the opening of an exhibition room about Dokdo at the Chungmoo Education Center. Jointly sponsored by the Northeast Asian History Foundation, the Korean Ministry of Education, and the Chungcheongnamdo Office of Education, the exhibition room features exhibits and programs utilizing the latest technologies including virtual reality techniques so as to more easily and entertainingly offer lessons about the Korean island Dokdo. A model of the island at the room's center is surrounded by displays of videos about Dokdo's ecosystem as well as various material and programs that historically, geographically, and legally explain why territorial sovereignty over the island belongs to Korea. The new exhibition room is expected to serve as a cultural space for the locals to better inform themselves about Dokdo and its inhabitants.

Special Evening Lectures at Dokdo Museum Seoul

To celebrate its sixth anniversary, Dokdo Museum Seoul remained open until nine o'clock in the evening on November 16 and December 21 to offer special lectures to its visitors. On November 16, the astrophotographer Kwon O-chul gave a lecture on "Observing Dokdo from Ulleungdo." The astrophotographer shared a variety of stunning photos of Dokdo he took and explained the shooting process as well as the mathematical principles he had to consider in order to capture Dokdo from 87.4 kilometers away on the nearest island Ulleungdo. On December 12, Professor Hosaka Yuji heading the Dokdo Research Institute at Sejong University was invited to talk about "Dokdo Based on Historical Facts," which proved to be informative as well as entertaining for both ordinary citizens and students alike.