Dokdo or Takeshima?

Ellie Han (ISB 10)

Certified history buff and patriotic Korean, Ellie Han (10) is a member of the acclaimed Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK). Channeling her love for history, Korea, and Korean history, Ellie critically examines the territorial dispute between Korea and Japan over the islands Dokdo before providing her resounding and well-developed ultimatum.

About Dokdo

Have you ever heard about islands in which two countries are arguing it as territory for more than 300 years? Dokdo is consists of two different islands called Dongdo (east island) and Seodo (west island) in the East Sea between Korea and Japan. It is only 187m^2 and called a universal geological museum due to its abundance of unique volcanic landform and natural resources.

Relationship between Korea and Japan

Throughout eastern history, Korea and Japan have been involved in historical problems. When Japan won in Russia and Japan war, and Qing and Japan war, they forcedly contract the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1905, which made Korean diplomatic right to be taken by force. The following year in 1910, Japan took jurisdiction and police authority of Korea, and Korea eventually became a colony of Japan. In 1945, after 35 colonial years, Korea finally became independent when Japan surrendered to aligned countries from the Pacific War. However, due to the San Francisco Treaty, a treaty between allied nations that won the Pacific War and Japan for Japan’s Post-War processing, the debate of which country possessed sovereignty over Dokdo became more intense.

San Francisco Treaty

The San Francisco treaty states, "Japan, recognizing the independence of Korea, renounces all right, title and claim to Korea, including the islands of Quelpart, Port Hamilton and Dagelet." Japan's perspective of the treaty is that there is no mention of "Dokdo" in the treaty context.Therefore they consider the land to be of Japanese territory; however, from the Korean view, due to more than 3000 islands in Korea, the treaty only mentions few main islands as an example.

Even now, the San Francisco Treaty is a controversial issue, various pieces of evidence clearly show why Dokdo is Korean territory.

Courtesy to Chosun.com

Samguk Sagi-Korea
First of all, the 44th book of Samguk Sagi—the oldest historical book of Korea written by Kim Bu-silk established in 1145—states that Silla (old Korean territory) conquered Usan-guk (old name for Ulleungdo, the island located left from Dokdo) and people in there surrendered. As Korea succeed to the throne of Usan-guk since year 512, this historical evidence represents Korea has controlled Dokdo. Japan, on the other hand, claims that “there is no mention of ‘Usan Island [old name for Dokdo].’” However, the old Korean document Sejong Jiriji, can undoubtedly dispute their claim.

Courtesy to Chosun.com

Sejong Jiriji

Sejong Geography Annals records, annals that were written in 1454, states “Usan and two islands of Muleng and Wuleng are located in the middle of the sea near Jeongdong in Uljin County. Two islands are close enough to be seen in clear days. Silla called them Usan-guk.” In the East Sea, there are three islands in total, which are Oki island (one of Japan’s islands), Ulleungdo-do, and Dokdo. Among these three, only Dokdo can be seen in clear days. This evidence further supports that Dokdo is Korean territory.

Not only Samguk Sagi and Sejong Jiriji, but also many other documents, including SCAPIN 667, 1033, Mangiyoram, Dongkukmunheonbigo clearly show Dokdo is Korean territory.

Japan itself agrees Dokdo is Korean territory

Professor Hori Kazuo from Kyoto university made an argument that had a dynamic effect on 1987 Japan. In his thesis, Kazuo argues that “Dokdo is Korean territory,” which is an unexpected argument as Japanese scholar. For his evidence, he referenced a document called “The Dajōkan Order,” which was written in 1877. In 1876, Japanese Ministry of Home Affairs questioned rather Ulleongdo and Dokdo should be marked in the land registration map. For that question, ,Dajōkan—the highest administrative body of Japan at the time—replied with an official document that states, “asked Ulleongdo and Dokdo is not related to [Japan]” to Ministry of Home Affairs.

Moreover, the attached document of “The Dajōkan Order” includes written descriptions of Jukdo and Songdo, which are old names for Ulleongdo and Dokdo. In the description of Songdo, the geological location of the current Dokdo is the same. However, as the Dokdo dispute escalated, Japanese scholars argue that ‘Songdo has never existed’ and ‘mistakenly marked different island’; and therefore, they concluded that Dokdo is Japanese territory.

Their impellent argument did not stay long. In 2006, Hideyuki Urshizaki minister announced attached map for “The Dajōkan Order” which is known as Gijukdoyakdo. Based on this map, Songdo is drawn, showing Japan’s argument is wrong. Furthermore, with Ulleungdo and Oki island, geographical position of Dokdo, 157.5km away from Oki island and 87.4km away from Ulleong island, is exactly matched to satellite map today. Two more maps that published in the same time of that period maps also back up the existence of Songdo: DongPan Chosun map (1882) and ShinChan Chosun Map (1894). We can also notice that Japan painted Ulleongdo and Songdo as the same color with Chosun (old name of Korea) in those maps.

Status Quo

I still remember a time when one Japanese boy in my previous school says Dokdo is Takeshima and it is Japanese territory. Japan still does not agree with the fact that Dokdo is Korean territory. Japan decided and celebrated Takeshima day. They also publish global newspapers that wrongly stated, “South Korea has illegally occupied the islands through such means as stationing armed guards there.” Even more, 75 percent of Japanese elementary school textbooks describe Dokdo as Japanese territory.

Courtesy to the World Daily

As now we know various facts and evidence through the history of Korea, we should keep in mind that Dokdo is one of Korean’s beautiful territory.