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{{Short description|Group of disputed islets in the Sea of Japan}} | |||
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{{For|the naming and territorial dispute surrounding these rocks|Liancourt Rocks dispute}} | |||
|+<big><big>'''Liancourt Rocks'''</big></big> | |||
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! colspan=2 | ] Name | |||
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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}} | |||
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{{Infobox islands | |||
|- | |||
| disputed = yes | |||
| width=148 | ] | |||
| name = Liancourt Rocks | |||
| width=148 | 獨島 | |||
| plural = yes | |||
|- | |||
| other_names = Liancourt Islets, Liancourt Islands, Takeshima, Dokdo, Tok Islets, Hornet Islands, Kajido, Sambongdo | |||
! colspan=2 | ] Name | |||
| image_name = Location-of-Liancourt-rocks-en.png | |||
|- | |||
| image_size = 300px | |||
| width=148 | ] ] | |||
| image_caption = | |||
| width=148 | Takeshima | |||
| image_map = Liancourt Rocks Map.svg | |||
|- | |||
| location = ] | |||
| width=148 | ] | |||
| coordinates = {{Coord|37|14|30|N|131|52|0|E|display=inline}} | |||
| width=148 | 竹島 | |||
| total_islands = 91 (37 permanent land) | |||
|- | |||
| major_islands = East Islet, West Islet | |||
| align=center colspan=2 | ] | |||
| area_ha = 18.745 | |||
|} | |||
| area_footnotes = <br />'''East Islet:''' {{convert|7.33|ha|acre}}<br />'''West Islet:''' {{convert|8.864|ha|acre}} | |||
| elevation_m = 169 | |||
| highest_mount = West Islet | |||
| country = {{flag|South Korea}} | |||
| country_admin_divisions_title = County | |||
| country_admin_divisions = ], ] | |||
| country1 = {{flag|Japan}} | |||
| country1_admin_divisions_title = Town | |||
| country1_admin_divisions = ], ] (Japan) | |||
| country2 = {{flag|North Korea}} | |||
| country2_admin_divisions_title = County | |||
| country2_admin_divisions = ], ] | |||
| population = Approximately 26<ref name="residents">{{cite web | url=https://dokdo.mofa.go.kr/eng/introduce/residence.jsp| title=Dokdo Residents| access-date=February 17, 2021| publisher=Gyeongsangbuk-do Province}}</ref> | |||
| image_map_caption = The two main islets | |||
}} | |||
The '''Liancourt Rocks''',<ref>{{harvnb|Fern|2005|p=78}}: "Since the end of World War II, Japan and Korea have contested ownership of these islets, given the name Liancourt Rocks by French whalers in the mid-1800s and called that by neutral observers to this day".</ref> also known by their Korean name of '''Dokdo''' ({{Langx|ko|독도}}){{efn|{{korean|hangul=독도|hanja=獨島}}; {{IPA|ko|tok̚t͈o|IPA}}; {{lit|solitary island' or 'lonely island}}.}} or their Japanese name of '''Takeshima''',({{Langx|ja|竹島}}){{efn|{{japanese|kanjil=竹島}}; {{IPA|ja|takeɕima|IPA}}; {{lit|bamboo island}}.{{sfn|BBC staff|2006}}}} are a group of ]s in the ] between the ] and the ] administered by South Korea. The Liancourt Rocks comprise two main islets and 35 smaller rocks; the total surface area of the islets is {{convert|0.187554|km2|acre}} and the highest elevation of {{convert|168.5|m|ft}} is <!-- found at an unnamed location --> on the West Islet.{{sfn|Gyeongsangbuk-do Province|2017b}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023}} The Liancourt Rocks lie in rich ] that may contain large deposits of ].{{sfn|BBC staff|2008}} The English name ''Liancourt Rocks'' is derived from {{Lang|fr|Le Liancourt}},{{efn|Pronounced {{IPA|fr|lə ljɑ̃kuʁ|}}; named in honor of ], Duke of ] and ].}} the name of a French ] ship that came close to being wrecked on the rocks in 1849.{{sfn|Kirk|2008}} | |||
'''Liancourt's rocks'''('''Dokdo''', 獨島) is Korean ]s in the ] (Sea of Japan). It has been the territory of Korea since the 6th century belonging to the ] kingdom of Korea (B.C. 57 - A.D. 935). | |||
Dokdo is a part of ], ] province of Korea. Ullenung County is in fact a bigger island that is located to the west of Dokdo. Dokdo is visible from Ulleungdo(the bigger island). | |||
While South Korea controls the islets, its sovereignty over them is ] by Japan. North Korea also claims the territory. South Korea classifies the islets as Dokdo-], Ulleung-], ], ],<ref>{{cite web|trans-title=Act 1395 amending Chapter 14-2, Ri-Administration under Ulleung County, Local Autonomy Law, Ulleung County |language=ko-kr |script-title=ko:울릉군리의명칭과구역에관한조례 |url=http://www.elis.go.kr/newlaib/laibLaws/h1126/laws.jsp?lawsNum=47940113226001&scType=title&scValue=%BF%EF%B8%AA%B1%BA%20%B8%AE%C0%C7%20%B8%ED%C4%AA%B0%FA%20%B1%B8%BF%AA%BF%A1%20%B0%FC%C7%D1%20%C1%B6%B7%CA&isClose=0&kind=1 }} "{{lang|ko-Hang|2000년 4월 7일 울릉군조례 제1395호로 독도리가 신설됨에 따라 독도의 행정구역이 종전의 경상북도 울릉군 울릉읍 도동리 산42~76번지에서 경상북도 울릉군 울릉읍 독도리 산1~37번지로 변경 됨}}." <br />Translation: "Pursuant to Act 1395 amending Chapter 14-2, Ri-Administration under Ulleung County, Local Autonomy Law, Ulleung County, passed March 20, 2000, enacted April 7, 2000, the administrative designation of Dokdo addresses as 42 to 76, Dodong-ri, Ulleung-eup, Ulleung County, North Gyungsang Province, is changed to address 1 to 37, Dokdo-ri, Ulleung-eup, Ulleung County, North Gyungsang Province." {{cite web|url=http://www.dokdomuseum.go.kr/board/history/list.php |language=ko-kr |script-title=ko:조회 |access-date=12 September 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301043336/http://www.dokdomuseum.go.kr/board/history/list.php |archive-date= 1 March 2009 |df=dmy }}</ref> while Japan classifies the islands as part of ], ], ]. | |||
== Nature of Dokdo == | |||
* Dokdo does not have any trees. It is made up of rocks. | |||
* Dokdo has two main islands. They are called East (Dongdo) and West island (Seodo). The distance between the two main islands is 110-160 meters. | |||
* They are composed of 34 islands with 37 physical addresses (ranging from Mountain 1-37 of Dokdori, UlleungEup, Ulleungdo). | |||
* The total area is 64,698 square meter. The highest point is 98 meter. | |||
* The location is 131°52′∼ 131°53′to the East and 37°14′00″∼ 37°14′45″to the North. | |||
* A wharf is constructed in Nov. 1997. It is registered in August, 1998. | |||
* The distance from Ulleungdo is 90km to the South East. The cloest Japanese territory is Oki island 160kim apart. | |||
==Geography== | |||
== Economical value of Dokdo== | |||
{{multiple image | |||
Dokdo is important for fishing and natural resource buried underneath and around the islands. | |||
| align = right | |||
| direction = vertical | |||
| image1 = Dokdo-West-Isle.JPG | |||
| alt1 = A steep, rocky island surrounded by dark blue sea | |||
| image2 = Dokdo-East-Isle.JPG | |||
| alt2 = A round rocky island, with an empty port. Seagulls block some of the frame. | |||
| caption2 = The West island ''(top)'' and the East island ''(bottom)'' | |||
}}The Liancourt Rocks consist of two main islets and numerous surrounding rocks. The two main islets, called ''Seodo'' ({{korean|labels=no|hangul=서도|hanja=西島|lit=western island}}) and ''Dongdo'' ({{korean|labels=no|hangul=동도|hanja=東島|lit=eastern island}}) in Korean and ''Ojima'' (男島; "Male Island") and ''Mejima'' (女島; "Female Island") in Japanese, are {{convert|151|m|ft}} apart.{{sfn|Gyeongsangbuk-do Province|2017b}} The Western Island is the larger of the two, with a wider base and higher peak, while the Eastern Island offers more usable surface area. | |||
Altogether, there are about 90 islets and reefs,{{sfn|Gyeongsangbuk-do Province|2017b}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023}} ]s formed in the ] era, more specifically 4.6 to 2.5 million years ago. A total of 37 of these islets are recognized as permanent land.{{Verify source|date=May 2015}} | |||
== Name change == | |||
The Ulleungdo (the bigger island) to the west of Dokdo is believed to be occupied by ethnic Koreans until it was conquered by a mainland kingdom. The islands were called Usan. | |||
The present name, Dokdo, is believed to be from a name | |||
Sukdo" which means rock islands in a Korean dialect. The first usage of the name of Dokdo was by Shim HeungTak who was the governer of Ulleungdo in 1906. In 1910, ] annexed Korea and Dokdo became part of the united Japan Korea empire. ] is another islands under dispute due to the occupation of Korea by Japan in 1910. See below. | |||
The total area of the islets is about {{convert|187,554|m2|acre}}, with their highest point at {{convert|168.5|m|ft}} on the West Islet.{{sfn|Gyeongsangbuk-do Province|2017b}} The western islet is about {{convert|88,740|m2|acre}}; the eastern islet is about {{convert|73,300|m2|acre}}.{{sfn|Gyeongsangbuk-do Province|2017b}} The western islet consists of a single peak and features many caves along the coastline. The cliffs of the eastern islet are about {{convert|10|to|20|m|ft}} high. There are two large caves giving access to the sea, as well as a crater.{{Verify source|date=May 2015}} | |||
== Pre-History == | |||
A.D. 300 : Silla kingdom style pots were discovered in Ulleungdo (the main island to the west of Dokdo). They were dated to A.D. 300. It indicated that Ulleungdo was trading with Silla out of the three Korean kingdoms. As Dokdo is visible from Ulleungdo, it is probable that the residents of Ulleungdo used Dokdo as a fishing ground. | |||
In 2006, a geologist reported that the islets formed 4.5 million years ago and are (in a ]) quickly eroding.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=102&oid=001&aid=0001483400 |language=ko-kr |script-title=ko:"독도ㆍ울릉도 `침몰하고 있다'"<손영관교수> |newspaper=] |date=1 December 2006 |access-date=1 January 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122194337/http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=102&oid=001&aid=0001483400 |archive-date= Jan 22, 2016 }}</ref> | |||
==History == | |||
=== Silla Kingdom era === | |||
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. | |||
== Tourism == | |||
=== Josun Dynasty of Korea era === | |||
In 1432, in the empirical records(SeJongSilRok, the journal kept by the government), they classified two islands to the East: "In the middle of the sea to the East, there are two islands, called Usan and MuReung". The reason of the record is believed to describe the boundary of Korean territory around that time. | |||
Restricted public access to the rocks for a variety of purposes is provided by ferry from ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=독도 : 독도입도안내 페이지 입니다.아름다운 신비의 섬 - 울릉군 |url=http://www.ulleung.go.kr/ko/page.htm?mnu_uid=1649 |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=www.ulleung.go.kr |archive-date=13 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013171217/http://www.ulleung.go.kr/ko/page.htm?mnu_uid=1649 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2022, 280,312 tourists visited the islands, averaging 500 visitors per day.<ref name="residents" /> | |||
In the ] of Korea (from 1312 to 1910), Koreans called Dokdo with various names such as "SamBongdo"(meaning 3 peaks), "Usando" and "Gajido". | |||
==Distances== | |||
In 1899, in the official government geography (DaeHanJiJi), we can find Dokdo is denoted as "Usan" next to Ulleungdo (the closest island). At that time, it was belonged to Ganwon province, not the present Kyongsang province by the order of then Korean emperor, "GoJong". | |||
The Liancourt Rocks are located at about {{Coord|37|14||N|131|52||E}}.{{sfn|Gyeongsangbuk-do Province|2017c}} The western islet is located at {{Coord|37|14|31|N|131|51|55|E |name=West Islet}} and the Eastern Islet is located at {{Coord|37|14|27|N|131|52|10|E |name=East Islet}}. | |||
The Liancourt Rocks are situated at a distance of {{convert|211|km|nmi}} from the main island of Japan (]) and {{convert|216.8|km|nmi}} from mainland South Korea. The nearest Japanese island, ], is at a distance of {{convert|157|km|nmi}},<ref name="mofa index" /> and the nearest Korean island, ], is {{convert|87.4|km|nmi}}.{{sfn|BAEK In-ki|SHIM Mun-bo|Korea Maritime Institute|2006|pp=20–22}}<ref name="mofa index">{{cite web|url=http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/takeshima/index.html|title=The Issue of Takeshima|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan|access-date=26 October 2012}}</ref> | |||
The first usage of the name of Dokdo was by ] who was the governer of Ulleungdo in 1906. | |||
==Climate== | |||
In 1914, Dokdo became part of Kyungsang province. | |||
] | |||
Owing to their location and small size, the Liancourt Rocks can have harsh weather. If the ] is greater than 3 to 5 metres, then landing is not possible, so on average ferries can only dock about once in forty days.{{sfn|Gyeo ngbuk Province|2001b}} Overall, the climate is warm and humid, and heavily influenced by warm sea currents. Precipitation is high throughout the year (annual average—{{convert|1383.4|mm|in|disp=or}}), with occasional snowfall.{{sfn|Gyeongsangbuk-do Province|2017a}} Fog is common. In summer, southerly winds dominate. The water around the islets is about {{convert|10|C|F}} in early spring, when the water is coldest, warming to about {{convert|24|C|F}} in late summer. | |||
==Ecology== | |||
In 1849, France charted Dokdo and inclued it into their map with the name "]". Later, 1885, the British warship Hornet charted Dokdo and included in their map as "]". | |||
]s at Liancourt Rocks during a Japanese ] in 1934]] | |||
The islets are volcanic rocks, with only a thin layer of soil and moss.{{sfn|Gyeo ngbuk Province|2001a}} About 49 plant species, 107 bird species, and 93 insect species have been found to inhabit the islets, in addition to local marine life with 160 algal and 368 invertebrate species identified.<ref>{{cite web|language=ko |script-title=ko:독도 자연생태계 정밀조사결과(요약)|trans-title=A comprehensive survey of the natural ecosystems of Liancourt Rocks (synopsys)|url=http://epic.kdi.re.kr/epic/epic_view.jsp?num=81035&menu=1|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722141608/http://epic.kdi.re.kr/epic/epic_view.jsp?num=81035&menu=1|archive-date=22 July 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Although between 1,100 and 1,200 litres of fresh water flow daily, desalinization plants have been installed on the islets for human consumption because existing spring water suffers from ] contamination.{{citation needed|date=May 2015}} Since the early 1970s trees and some types of flowers were planted.{{citation needed|date=May 2015}} According to historical records, there used to be trees indigenous to Liancourt Rocks, which have supposedly been wiped out by ] and fires caused by bombing drills over the islets.{{efn|"There are records attesting to the existence of trees in the past" {{harv|BAEK In-ki|SHIM Mun-bo|Korea Maritime Institute|2006|p=48}} }} A recent investigation, however, identified ten ] aged 100–120 years.<ref>{{cite web |language=ko |trans-title=Indigenous Spindle Tree Colony Found on Liancourt Rocks |script-title=ko:독도 자생 사철나무 군락 첫 발견 |url=http://www.korean.net/blog/main/index.jsp?blID=leehayo&ccID=260&SN=22}} {{Dead link|date = August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |language=ko |script-title=ko:독도 자생 사철나무 100년 이상 된 자생식물 | |||
|trans-title=Liancourt Rock Spindle Trees Over 100 Years Old |url=http://www.dokdocenter.org/dokdo_news/index.cgi?action=detail&number=7489&thread=19r02}}</ref> ]s such as ]s, ]s, and ]s are known to migrate through these areas.<ref>{{Cite journal|year=2007 |language=ko |script-title=ko:독도수비 해경, 그물걸린 범고래 구조 - 멸종위기 해양생물 보호 적극적인 조치 기대 |url=http://www.enviroasia.info/K/?p=1259 |journal=K07011002K |page=ENVIROASIA |access-date=10 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119103856/http://www.enviroasia.info/K/?p=1259 |archive-date=19 January 2015 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|translator=Koike T.|year=2007 |language=ja |script-title=ja:独島警備の海洋警察、網にかかったシャチ救出 |url=http://www.enviroasia.info/J/?p=6168 |journal=K07011002J |page=ENVIROASIA |access-date=10 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714121130/http://www.enviroasia.info/J/?p=6168 |archive-date=14 July 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2017 |url=http://www.netongs.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=103971 |script-title=ko:"동해 고래, 한미관계 뿐 아니라 독도 역사와도 연결" |access-date=August 21, 2017}}</ref> | |||
===Pollution and environmental destruction=== | |||
Japan claims Dokdo as their territory and here is ] of the history of Dokdo. | |||
Records of the human impact on the Liancourt Rocks before the late 20th century are scarce, although both Japanese and Koreans claim to have felled trees and killed ]s there for many decades.<ref>국민일보 (Gookmin Daily). "독도‘실효적 지배’새 근거 (New Evidence of effective control), 1890년 이전부터 독도서 강치잡이 (Sea lion hunting before 1890) </ref><ref>Japan: </ref> | |||
There are serious pollution concerns in the seas surrounding the Liancourt Rocks. In 2004, a malfunction in the sewage water treatment system established on the islets caused sewage produced by inhabitants of the Liancourt Rocks, such as ] and lighthouse staff, to be dumped directly into the ocean. Significant water pollution was observed; sea water turned milky white, sea vegetation died, and coral reefs were calcified. The pollution also caused ] in the surrounding seas. In November 2004, eight tons of malodorous ] was being dumped into the ocean every day.<ref name=" imaeil">{{cite web |work=Imaeil |date=28 September 2007 |language=ko |script-title=ko:독도 오수정화시설이 동해바다 오염 주범? |url=http://www.imaeil.com/sub_news/sub_news_view.php?news_id=42521&yy=2007 |access-date=15 April 2009 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402110419/http://www.imaeil.com/sub_news/sub_news_view.php?news_id=42521&yy=2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Efforts have since been made by both public<ref>{{cite web|language=ko |trans-title=Three-Month Cleanup for Dokdo's Marine Garbage Starts from June 2 |script-title=ko:독도 바다쓰레기 청소 6월2일부터 석달간 |url=http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=102&oid=003&aid=0002703591}}</ref> and private<ref>{{cite web |language=ko |script-title=ko:나무 심고 오물 줍고…아름다운 ‘독도 사랑’ |url=http://www.imaeil.com/sub_news/sub_news_view.php?news_id=27210&yy=2010 |date=5 July 2010 |access-date=28 September 2010 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402121815/http://www.imaeil.com/sub_news/sub_news_view.php?news_id=27210&yy=2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> organizations to reduce the level of pollution surrounding the Rocks. | |||
According to Japanese records, the islands, then known as ''Matsushima''(Pinetree islands), 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 until the government banned them acknowledging the Korean sovereignty of Dokdo. The common ] name, Liancourt Rocks, was given by a ] whaling ship in ]. | |||
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 when the two Japanese fishermen were drifted to them 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 and recolonized when there was a necessity. | |||
==Construction== | |||
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 '']''. | |||
South Korea has carried out construction work on the Liancourt Rocks; by 2009, the islands had a lighthouse, helicopter pad,<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090823031639/http://vn.vladnews.ru/issue592/Special_reports/Dokdo_Islands_land_of_contention |date=23 August 2009 }}</ref> and a police barracks.{{sfn|Choe|2008}} In 2007, two ]s were built capable of producing 28 tons of clean water every day.{{sfn|KOIS staff|2007a}} Both of the major South Korean telecommunications companies have installed cellular telephone towers on the islets.{{sfn|KOIS staff|2007}} | |||
==History== | |||
During ], the island was used as a naval base by the Imperial Japanese Navy. | |||
])]] | |||
===Whaling=== | |||
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. | |||
U.S. and ] ]s cruised for ]s off the rocks between 1849 and 1892.<ref>''Cambria'', of New Bedford, Apr. 29, 1849, Nicholson Whaling Collection; ''Cape Horn Pigeon'', of New Bedford, Apr. 19, 1892, Kendall Whaling Museum.</ref> | |||
===Demographics and economy=== | |||
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 the same tactic in ] in the early 1900s: a Japanese ship was sunken by Korean coastal fire arms requesting withdrawl from the Korean territory. This led to a modernized Japanese army invasion to Korean peninsula. After the incident in 1954, South Korea built a ] and ] landing pad on the islet, which it has occupied ever since. | |||
] | |||
In February 2017, there were two civilian residents, two government officials, six lighthouse managers, and 40 members of the coast guard living on the islets.<ref name="residents"/> Since the South Korean coast guard was sent to the islets, civilian travel has been subject to South Korean government approval; they have stated that the reason for this is that the islet group is designated as a nature reserve.<ref>On 13 December 1997 the "Special Act on the Preservation of Ecosystem in Island Areas Including Dokdo Island" was enacted by the South Korean parliament. The title of the Natural Monument No. 336, the Dokdo Seaweed Habitat, was changed to the Dokdo National Nature Reserve in December 1999. {{Cite web|title=Dokdo in History: Chronology |publisher=The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea |url=https://korea.assembly.go.kr:447/dokdo/history_02.jsp }}</ref> | |||
In March 1965, Choi Jong-duk moved from the nearby ] to the islets to make a living from octopus fishing. He also helped install facilities from May 1968. In 1981, Choi Jong-duk changed his administrative address to the Liancourt Rocks, making himself the first person to officially live there. He died there in September 1987. His son-in-law, Cho Jun-ki, and his wife also resided there from 1985 until they moved out in 1992. Meanwhile, in 1991, Kim Sung-do and Kim Shin-yeol transferred to the islets as permanent residents, still continuing to live there. In October 2018, Kim Sung-do died, thus Kim Shin-yeol is the last civilian resident still living on the islands.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hong |first=Euny |title=The birth of Korean cool: how one nation is conquering the world through pop culture |date=2014 |publisher=Picador |isbn=978-1-250-04511-9 |edition=1st |location=New York}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|author=Lee Tae-hee |title=Widow to remain sole Dokdo resident, authorities confirm |date=13 February 2019 |newspaper=] |url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20190213000563 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/14/asia/south-korea-japan-disputed-islands-one-resident-intl/index.html |last1=McKirdy |first1=Euan |last2=Jeong |first2=Sophie |title=Widow, 81, sole resident of remote island disputed by South Korea and Japan |publisher=CNN |date=15 February 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.koreaworldtimes.com/topics/news/9882/|script-title=ja:竹島人口は7万人 4年で倍増 日本人17人も住民登録している!?|newspaper=KoreaWorldTimes |date=2021-08-16|language=ja|access-date=2021-10-06}}</ref> | |||
== Chronicles of Dokdo == | |||
# A.D. 300 : Silla kingdom pots were discovered in Ulleungdo (the main island to the west of Dokdo). They were dated to A.D. 300. It indicated that Ulleungdo was trading with Silla out of the three Korean kingdoms. As Dokdo is visible from Ulleungdo, it is probable that the residents of Ulleungdo used Dokdo as a fishing ground. | |||
# A.D. 512 : Silla ordered "Yi Sabu" to conquer Usan-guk (the Ulleungdo kingdom). Silla soldiers made a wooden lion to scare the Usan-guk people. Usan-guk surrenderred to Silla. | |||
# A.D. 930 : There is a record of paying tax by two residents of Ulleungdo, "Back Gil" and "Tae Doo" to Goryo dynasty of Korea. | |||
# A.D. 1018 : There was a report/news by the refugee Usan-guk people on Jurchen pirate attacks on Ulleungdo. Goryo dynasty gave them some agricultural equipment to support them. | |||
# A.D. 1019 : The Goryo dynasty arranged the refugees to live in "YoungHae" district of Silla. | |||
# A.D. 1157 : The king heard that the Ulleungdo was fertile and people were living in the islands in the past. He sent "Gim Yu-Rip" to examine the island(Ulleungdo). Gim reported that there are too much rocks and the king cancelled the re-colonization plan. | |||
# A.D. 1197 : "Choi Chung Hun", the great scholar and politician of Goryo dynasty ordered to recolonize Ulleungdo. On the way, the ship met storm and lost many people. He ordered the people to come back. | |||
# A.D. 1407 : The governer of Daemado (Tshshima) asked the Korean King (Josun dynasty), to colonize Ulleungdo. The king refused. | |||
# A.D. 1425 : The government decided to evacuate the whole Ulleungdo (it seems that Koreans were keep visiting and living in the islands without the government's permission). The king ordered "Gim InWoo" to evacuate the islands. Gim was called "the general of Usan and MuReung" indicating that the dynasty was regarding the Ulleungdo and Dokdo as one entity. | |||
# A.D. 1432 : A geography book describes Ulleungdo and Dokdo. | |||
# A.D. 1531 : In one of the oldest maps of Korea (PalDoChongDo), Dokdo and Ulleungdo are marked as Korean territory (Dokdo is denoted to the west of Ulleungdo. It must be a mistake by the cartographer). | |||
# A.D. 1693 : A Korean fisherman An YongBok saw Japanese fishermen around Ulleungdo. He went to Japan to protest the Japanese government. Then Japanese government apologized and promised to ban their fishermen to approach Ulleungdo and Dokdo. The Japanese government sent an official document of apology (written in the journal of SukJongSilRok, Jojeon dynasty). | |||
# A.D. 1876 : The internal affair ministry of Japan denote that Ulleungdo and Dokdo are nothing to do with Japan. This shows the historical understanding on the sovereignty by both governments around that time. | |||
# A.D. 1881 : Korean government received reports that Korean and Japanese people are having conflict in Ulleungdo and protested Japanese government. | |||
## It is imporant to know that, for lay fishermen, the government's or historical facts are not important. The boundary of nations were not as clear as today. Imagine the situation in the northern Europen in 1700s. | |||
# A.D. 1883 : Korea abanded the evacuation polity of Ulleungdo and sent 54 people to Ulleungdo. | |||
# A.D. 1900 : Korea changed the name of Ulleungdo to Ulldo. The official guideline denoted that the governing area include all islets of Ulleungdo and Sukdo (Rock islands meaning Dokdo). | |||
# A.D. 1905 : Japan took over Korean sea sovereighty. (By this time, Korea lost her diplomatic, military and political power to Japan. In 1910, Korea was forced to be annexed to Japan). | |||
# A.D. 1905 : Japan put a watch tower in Dokdo to monitor Russian navy. | |||
# A.D. 1948 : The republic of Korea was established and designated a regional address to Dokdo as a part of Ulleungdo. | |||
# A.D. 1953 : A voluntary Dokdo guard was formed by 33 residents of Ulleungdo. | |||
# A.D. 1956 : The Dokdo guard handed over their responsibility to Korean police. | |||
# A.D. 1981 : Mr. "Choi JongDuk" moved his residential address to Dokdo and harvested seaweeds. | |||
The South Korean government gave its approval to allow 1,597 visitors to visit the islets in 2004. Since March 2005, more tourists have received approval to visit. The South Korean government lets up to 70 tourists land at any given time; one ferry provides rides to the islets every day.{{sfn|Ha|2008}} Tour companies charge around 350,000 ] per person (about US$310 {{As of|2019|lc=on}}).<ref name="vis">{{Cite web|url=http://www.dokdo.go.kr/eng/html/introduction/living.jsp |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130111204054/http://www.dokdo.go.kr/eng/html/introduction/living.jsp |archive-date=11 January 2013 |url-status=dead |title=Life in Dokdo |publisher=Cyber Dokdo of Korea }}</ref> | |||
=== |
===Sovereignty dispute=== | ||
{{Main|Liancourt Rocks dispute}} | |||
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. | |||
Sovereignty over the islands has been an ongoing point of contention in ]. There are conflicting interpretations about the historical state of sovereignty over the islets. | |||
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. | |||
South Korean claims are partly based on references to an island called ] ({{Korean|hangul=우산도|hanja=于山島; 亐山島|labels=no}}) in various medieval historical records, maps, and encyclopedia such as '']'', '']'', ''Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam'', and ''Dongguk munhon bigo''. According to the South Korean view, these refer to today's Liancourt Rocks.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}} Japanese researchers of these documents have claimed the various references to Usan-do refer at different times to ], its neighboring island ], or a non-existent island between Ulleungdo and Korea.{{efn|"Such description ... rather reminds us of Utsuryo Island" (para. 2); "A study ... criticizes ... that Usan Island and Utsuryo Island are two names for one island." (para. 3); and "that island does not exist at all in reality" (para. 4{{snd}} {{cite web|url=http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/takeshima/pamphlet_e.pdf |title=10 Issues of Takeshima, MOFA (Article 2) |date=February 2008 |publisher=] (Japan) |page=4 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913071653/http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/takeshima/pamphlet_e.pdf |archive-date=13 September 2008 }} }} The first printed usage of the name ''Dokdo'' was in a Japanese log book in 1904.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dokdo-takeshima.com/japans-takeshima-x-files-i.html |title="Logbooks of the Japanese Warship Niitaka September 25th 1904"<!--<軍艦新高行動日誌>--> |website=Dokdo Takeshima The Historical Facts of the Dispute|date=1 September 2008 }}</ref> | |||
In a survey performed in both countries, the level of interest in ] in relation to the islets was substantially lower, whereas over 99% of people surveyed in ] 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. | |||
North Korea also regards the islands as Korean, and as it claims the entirety of ], North Korea claims the islands as its own and contests Japan's claim to the islands alongside South Korea.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Agency|first1=United States Central Intelligence|last2=Office|first2=Government Publications|title=The World Factbook 2016-17|date=2016|publisher=Government Printing Office|isbn=9780160933271|pages=406|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HfywxU2EnFwC&pg=PA406|language=en}}</ref> | |||
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. | |||
<gallery widths="200px" heights="135px"> | |||
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." | |||
File:South Korean "Tokto" postage stamps, c. 1954.png|South Korean stamps depicting the Liancourt Rocks from 1954 | |||
File:Dokdo-Police boat.jpg|A South Korean police boat approaches the dock on the Liancourt Rocks' East Islet. | |||
</gallery> | |||
=== Natural Monument of South Korea === | |||
The Liancourt Rocks were designated as a breeding ground for ]s, ]s, and ]s as ] #336 of South Korea on November 29, 1982.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 December 1982 |title=문화재(천연기념물)보호구역지정 |url=http://theme.archives.go.kr/viewer/common/archWebViewer.do?singleData=N&archiveEventId=0028139917#19}}</ref> | |||
== See also == | |||
{{Portal|Politics|Japan|South Korea|Islands}} | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
{{Clear}} | |||
==Notes== | |||
{{Notelist}} | |||
==Inline citations== | |||
{{Reflist|30em}} | |||
=== References === | |||
* {{citation|author=BAEK In-ki |author2=SHIM Mun-bo |author3=Korea Maritime Institute |title=A study of Distance between Ulleungdo and Dokdo and Ocean Currents (울릉도와 독도의 거리와 해류에 관한 연구) |date=December 2006 |url=http://library.kmi.re.kr/w03_01e.asp?gs_DType=m&gs_DControlNo=52190 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130112034708/http://library.kmi.re.kr/w03_01e.asp?gs_DType=m&gs_DControlNo=52190 |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 January 2013 |pages=20–22 |isbn=978-89-7998-340-1 }} | |||
* {{citation |author=BBC staff |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4925258.stm |title=Seoul and Tokyo hold island talks |publisher=BBC |date=20 April 2006}} | |||
* {{citation |author=BBC staff |date=27 July 2008 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7511065.stm |title=Island row hits Japanese condoms|work=BBC News}} | |||
* {{citation |last=Fern |first=Sean |date=Winter 2005 |title=Tokdo or Takeshima? The International Law of Territorial Acquisition in the Japan-Korea Island Dispute |journal=Stanford Journal of East Asian Affairs |volume=5 |number=1}} | |||
* {{citation |author=Gyeongsangbuk-do Province |date=28 September 2017a |url=http://en.dokdo.go.kr/pages/s03/page.html?mc=7180 |title=Climate |website=Dokdo, Beautiful island of Korea |publisher=Korean Government }} | |||
* {{citation |author=Gyeongsangbuk-do Province |date=28 September 2017b |url=http://en.dokdo.go.kr/pages/s01/page.html?mc=7226 |title=Composition |website=Dokdo, Beautiful island of Korea |publisher=Korean Government }} | |||
* {{citation |author=Gyeongsangbuk-do Province |date=28 September 2017c |url=http://en.dokdo.go.kr/pages/s01/page.html?mc=7225 |title=Location |website=Dokdo, Beautiful island of Korea |publisher=Korean Government }} | |||
* {{citation |author=Gyeo ngbuk Province |year=2001a |url=http://en.dokdo.go.kr/pages/sub01/page.html?mc=0082 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729172424/http://en.dokdo.go.kr/pages/sub01/page.html?mc=0082 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-07-29 |title=Natural Environment |website=Cyber Dokdo |publisher=Korean Government }} | |||
* {{citation |author=Gyeo ngbuk Province |year=2001b |url=http://en.dokdo.go.kr/pages/sub01/page.html?mc=0093 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729172446/http://en.dokdo.go.kr/pages/sub01/page.html?mc=0093 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-07-29 |title=Visit Dokdo |website=Cyber Dokdo |publisher=Korean Government }} | |||
* {{citation|last=Ha |first=Michael |date=26 August 2008 |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2009/01/177_30015.html |title=A Unique Trip to Dokdo—Islets in the News |newspaper=] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065204/https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2009/01/177_30015.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 |df=dmy }} | |||
* {{citation |last=Kirk |first=Donald |date=26 July 2008 |url= http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/JG26Dh01.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090301001613/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/JG26Dh01.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 1 March 2009 |title=Seoul has desert island dreams |work= Asia Times Online }} | |||
* {{citation |author=KOIS staff |date=12 January 2007 |url=http://www.korea.net/News/News/NewsView.asp?serial_no=20070111037&part=109&SearchDay= |title=Cell phones give Korean ring to Dokdo |publisher=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302011635/http://www.korea.net/News/News/NewsView.asp?serial_no=20070111037&part=109&SearchDay= |archive-date=2 March 2009}} | |||
* {{citation |author=KOIS staff |date=12 June 2007a |url=http://www.korea.net/news/news/NewsView.asp?serial_no=20070612020&part=102&SearchDay= |title=Doosan pours big drink for Dokdo residents |publisher=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302022720/http://www.korea.net/news/news/NewsView.asp?serial_no=20070612020&part=102&SearchDay= |archive-date=2 March 2009}} | |||
* {{citation |last=Choe |date=28 August 2008 |first=Sang-Hun |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/28/asia/island.php |title=A fierce Korean pride in a lonely group of islets |newspaper=International Herald Tribune |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828200807/http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/28/asia/island.php |archive-date=28 August 2008}} | |||
* {{citation |author=Yonhap staff |date=20 July 2011 |url=http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2011/07/30/34/0301000000AEN20110730001800320F.HTML |title=N. Korea denounces Japan's vow to visit island near Dokdo |publisher=]}} | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
{{Commons category|Liancourt Rocks}} | |||
* | |||
{{Wikivoyage|Liancourt Rocks}} | |||
* | |||
* | |||
'''South Korea''' | |||
* | |||
* | * | ||
* | | * (Korea) | ||
* | |||
* ] | |||
**{{cite web|author=대한민국외교부|author-link=Ministry of Foreign Affairs (South Korea)|title=Dokdo, Beautiful Island of Korea|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEF9FDh4nZc| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/mEF9FDh4nZc| archive-date=2021-11-17 | url-status=live|date=2014-04-22|language=en|website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} | |||
'''Japan''' | |||
* (]) | |||
** Cabinet Secretariat, Japan | |||
* (] office, Japan) | |||
* (]) | |||
** Northeast Asia Division, Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, ] (February 2008) | |||
** Northeast Asia Division, Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, MOFA, Japan (March 2014) | |||
**{{cite web|author=MOFA, Japan |author-link=Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan) |title=Takeshima - Seeking a Solution based on Law and Dialogue |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYRHZX3m-bg | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/DYRHZX3m-bg| archive-date=2021-11-17 | url-status=live|date=October 31, 2013 |language=en |website=YouTube }}{{cbignore}} | |||
{{Coord|37|14|30|N|131|52|00|E |type:landmark |display=title}} <!-- region:KR_ or JP --> | |||
{{Territorial disputes in East and South Asia}} | |||
{{Authority control}} | |||
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Latest revision as of 15:54, 8 December 2024
Group of disputed islets in the Sea of Japan For the naming and territorial dispute surrounding these rocks, see Liancourt Rocks dispute. "Dokdo" and "Takeshima" redirect here. For other uses, see Dokdo (disambiguation) and Takeshima (disambiguation).
Disputed islands | |
---|---|
The two main islets | |
Other names | Liancourt Islets, Liancourt Islands, Takeshima, Dokdo, Tok Islets, Hornet Islands, Kajido, Sambongdo |
Geography | |
Location | Sea of Japan |
Coordinates | 37°14′30″N 131°52′0″E / 37.24167°N 131.86667°E / 37.24167; 131.86667 |
Total islands | 91 (37 permanent land) |
Major islands | East Islet, West Islet |
Area | 18.745 ha (46.32 acres) East Islet: 7.33 hectares (18.1 acres) West Islet: 8.864 hectares (21.90 acres) |
Highest elevation | 169 m (554 ft) |
Highest point | West Islet |
Administration | |
South Korea | |
County | Ulleung County, North Gyeongsang |
Claimed by | |
Japan | |
Town | Okinoshima, Shimane (Japan) |
North Korea | |
County | Ulleung County, North Gyeongsang |
Demographics | |
Population | Approximately 26 |
The Liancourt Rocks, also known by their Korean name of Dokdo (Korean: 독도) or their Japanese name of Takeshima,(Japanese: 竹島) are a group of islets in the Sea of Japan between the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese archipelago administered by South Korea. The Liancourt Rocks comprise two main islets and 35 smaller rocks; the total surface area of the islets is 0.187554 square kilometres (46.346 acres) and the highest elevation of 168.5 metres (553 ft) is on the West Islet. The Liancourt Rocks lie in rich fishing grounds that may contain large deposits of natural gas. The English name Liancourt Rocks is derived from Le Liancourt, the name of a French whaling ship that came close to being wrecked on the rocks in 1849.
While South Korea controls the islets, its sovereignty over them is contested by Japan. North Korea also claims the territory. South Korea classifies the islets as Dokdo-ri, Ulleung-eup, Ulleung County, North Gyeongsang Province, while Japan classifies the islands as part of Okinoshima, Oki District, Shimane Prefecture.
Geography
The West island (top) and the East island (bottom)The Liancourt Rocks consist of two main islets and numerous surrounding rocks. The two main islets, called Seodo (서도; 西島; lit. western island) and Dongdo (동도; 東島; lit. eastern island) in Korean and Ojima (男島; "Male Island") and Mejima (女島; "Female Island") in Japanese, are 151 metres (495 ft) apart. The Western Island is the larger of the two, with a wider base and higher peak, while the Eastern Island offers more usable surface area.
Altogether, there are about 90 islets and reefs, volcanic rocks formed in the Cenozoic era, more specifically 4.6 to 2.5 million years ago. A total of 37 of these islets are recognized as permanent land.
The total area of the islets is about 187,554 square metres (46.346 acres), with their highest point at 168.5 metres (553 ft) on the West Islet. The western islet is about 88,740 square metres (21.93 acres); the eastern islet is about 73,300 square metres (18.1 acres). The western islet consists of a single peak and features many caves along the coastline. The cliffs of the eastern islet are about 10 to 20 metres (33 to 66 ft) high. There are two large caves giving access to the sea, as well as a crater.
In 2006, a geologist reported that the islets formed 4.5 million years ago and are (in a geological sense) quickly eroding.
Tourism
Restricted public access to the rocks for a variety of purposes is provided by ferry from Ulleng Island. In 2022, 280,312 tourists visited the islands, averaging 500 visitors per day.
Distances
The Liancourt Rocks are located at about 37°14′N 131°52′E / 37.233°N 131.867°E / 37.233; 131.867. The western islet is located at 37°14′31″N 131°51′55″E / 37.24194°N 131.86528°E / 37.24194; 131.86528 (West Islet) and the Eastern Islet is located at 37°14′27″N 131°52′10″E / 37.24083°N 131.86944°E / 37.24083; 131.86944 (East Islet).
The Liancourt Rocks are situated at a distance of 211 kilometres (114 nmi) from the main island of Japan (Honshu) and 216.8 kilometres (117.1 nmi) from mainland South Korea. The nearest Japanese island, Oki Islands, is at a distance of 157 kilometres (85 nmi), and the nearest Korean island, Ulleungdo, is 87.4 kilometres (47.2 nmi).
Climate
Owing to their location and small size, the Liancourt Rocks can have harsh weather. If the swell is greater than 3 to 5 metres, then landing is not possible, so on average ferries can only dock about once in forty days. Overall, the climate is warm and humid, and heavily influenced by warm sea currents. Precipitation is high throughout the year (annual average—1,383.4 millimetres or 54.46 inches), with occasional snowfall. Fog is common. In summer, southerly winds dominate. The water around the islets is about 10 °C (50 °F) in early spring, when the water is coldest, warming to about 24 °C (75 °F) in late summer.
Ecology
The islets are volcanic rocks, with only a thin layer of soil and moss. About 49 plant species, 107 bird species, and 93 insect species have been found to inhabit the islets, in addition to local marine life with 160 algal and 368 invertebrate species identified. Although between 1,100 and 1,200 litres of fresh water flow daily, desalinization plants have been installed on the islets for human consumption because existing spring water suffers from guano contamination. Since the early 1970s trees and some types of flowers were planted. According to historical records, there used to be trees indigenous to Liancourt Rocks, which have supposedly been wiped out by overharvesting and fires caused by bombing drills over the islets. A recent investigation, however, identified ten spindle trees aged 100–120 years. Cetaceans such as Minke whales, orcas, and dolphins are known to migrate through these areas.
Pollution and environmental destruction
Records of the human impact on the Liancourt Rocks before the late 20th century are scarce, although both Japanese and Koreans claim to have felled trees and killed Japanese sea lions there for many decades.
There are serious pollution concerns in the seas surrounding the Liancourt Rocks. In 2004, a malfunction in the sewage water treatment system established on the islets caused sewage produced by inhabitants of the Liancourt Rocks, such as South Korean Coast Guards and lighthouse staff, to be dumped directly into the ocean. Significant water pollution was observed; sea water turned milky white, sea vegetation died, and coral reefs were calcified. The pollution also caused loss of biodiversity in the surrounding seas. In November 2004, eight tons of malodorous sludge was being dumped into the ocean every day. Efforts have since been made by both public and private organizations to reduce the level of pollution surrounding the Rocks.
Construction
South Korea has carried out construction work on the Liancourt Rocks; by 2009, the islands had a lighthouse, helicopter pad, and a police barracks. In 2007, two desalination plants were built capable of producing 28 tons of clean water every day. Both of the major South Korean telecommunications companies have installed cellular telephone towers on the islets.
History
Whaling
U.S. and French whaleships cruised for right whales off the rocks between 1849 and 1892.
Demographics and economy
In February 2017, there were two civilian residents, two government officials, six lighthouse managers, and 40 members of the coast guard living on the islets. Since the South Korean coast guard was sent to the islets, civilian travel has been subject to South Korean government approval; they have stated that the reason for this is that the islet group is designated as a nature reserve.
In March 1965, Choi Jong-duk moved from the nearby Ulleungdo to the islets to make a living from octopus fishing. He also helped install facilities from May 1968. In 1981, Choi Jong-duk changed his administrative address to the Liancourt Rocks, making himself the first person to officially live there. He died there in September 1987. His son-in-law, Cho Jun-ki, and his wife also resided there from 1985 until they moved out in 1992. Meanwhile, in 1991, Kim Sung-do and Kim Shin-yeol transferred to the islets as permanent residents, still continuing to live there. In October 2018, Kim Sung-do died, thus Kim Shin-yeol is the last civilian resident still living on the islands.
The South Korean government gave its approval to allow 1,597 visitors to visit the islets in 2004. Since March 2005, more tourists have received approval to visit. The South Korean government lets up to 70 tourists land at any given time; one ferry provides rides to the islets every day. Tour companies charge around 350,000 Korean won per person (about US$310 as of 2019).
Sovereignty dispute
Main article: Liancourt Rocks disputeSovereignty over the islands has been an ongoing point of contention in Japan–South Korea relations. There are conflicting interpretations about the historical state of sovereignty over the islets.
South Korean claims are partly based on references to an island called Usando (우산도; 于山島; 亐山島) in various medieval historical records, maps, and encyclopedia such as Samguk Sagi, Annals of Joseon Dynasty, Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam, and Dongguk munhon bigo. According to the South Korean view, these refer to today's Liancourt Rocks. Japanese researchers of these documents have claimed the various references to Usan-do refer at different times to Jukdo, its neighboring island Ulleungdo, or a non-existent island between Ulleungdo and Korea. The first printed usage of the name Dokdo was in a Japanese log book in 1904.
North Korea also regards the islands as Korean, and as it claims the entirety of Korea, North Korea claims the islands as its own and contests Japan's claim to the islands alongside South Korea.
- South Korean stamps depicting the Liancourt Rocks from 1954
- A South Korean police boat approaches the dock on the Liancourt Rocks' East Islet.
Natural Monument of South Korea
The Liancourt Rocks were designated as a breeding ground for band-rumped storm petrels, streaked shearwaters, and black-tailed gulls as Natural Monument #336 of South Korea on November 29, 1982.
See also
Notes
- Korean: 독도; Hanja: 獨島; IPA: [tok̚t͈o]; lit. 'solitary island' or 'lonely island'.
-
; IPA: [takeɕima]; lit. 'bamboo island'.Please add Japanese script to this article, where needed. - Pronounced [lə ljɑ̃kuʁ]; named in honor of François Alexandre Frédéric, Duke of La Rochefoucauld and Liancourt.
- "There are records attesting to the existence of trees in the past" (BAEK In-ki, SHIM Mun-bo & Korea Maritime Institute 2006, p. 48)
- "Such description ... rather reminds us of Utsuryo Island" (para. 2); "A study ... criticizes ... that Usan Island and Utsuryo Island are two names for one island." (para. 3); and "that island does not exist at all in reality" (para. 4 – "10 Issues of Takeshima, MOFA (Article 2)" (PDF). Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan). February 2008. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 September 2008.
Inline citations
- ^ "Dokdo Residents". Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
- Fern 2005, p. 78: "Since the end of World War II, Japan and Korea have contested ownership of these islets, given the name Liancourt Rocks by French whalers in the mid-1800s and called that by neutral observers to this day".
- BBC staff 2006.
- ^ Gyeongsangbuk-do Province 2017b.
- BBC staff 2008.
- Kirk 2008.
- 울릉군리의명칭과구역에관한조례 [개정 2000. 4. 7 조례 제1395호] [Act 1395 amending Chapter 14-2, Ri-Administration under Ulleung County, Local Autonomy Law, Ulleung County] (in Korean). "2000년 4월 7일 울릉군조례 제1395호로 독도리가 신설됨에 따라 독도의 행정구역이 종전의 경상북도 울릉군 울릉읍 도동리 산42~76번지에서 경상북도 울릉군 울릉읍 독도리 산1~37번지로 변경 됨."
Translation: "Pursuant to Act 1395 amending Chapter 14-2, Ri-Administration under Ulleung County, Local Autonomy Law, Ulleung County, passed March 20, 2000, enacted April 7, 2000, the administrative designation of Dokdo addresses as 42 to 76, Dodong-ri, Ulleung-eup, Ulleung County, North Gyungsang Province, is changed to address 1 to 37, Dokdo-ri, Ulleung-eup, Ulleung County, North Gyungsang Province." 조회 (in Korean). Archived from the original on 1 March 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2008. - "독도ㆍ울릉도 `침몰하고 있다'"<손영관교수>. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). 1 December 2006. Archived from the original on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- "독도 : 독도입도안내 페이지 입니다.아름다운 신비의 섬 - 울릉군". www.ulleung.go.kr. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
- Gyeongsangbuk-do Province 2017c.
- ^ "The Issue of Takeshima". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
- BAEK In-ki, SHIM Mun-bo & Korea Maritime Institute 2006, pp. 20–22.
- Gyeo ngbuk Province 2001b.
- Gyeongsangbuk-do Province 2017a.
- Gyeo ngbuk Province 2001a.
- 독도 자연생태계 정밀조사결과(요약) [A comprehensive survey of the natural ecosystems of Liancourt Rocks (synopsys)] (in Korean). Archived from the original on 22 July 2011.
- 독도 자생 사철나무 군락 첫 발견 [Indigenous Spindle Tree Colony Found on Liancourt Rocks] (in Korean).
- 독도 자생 사철나무 100년 이상 된 자생식물 [Liancourt Rock Spindle Trees Over 100 Years Old] (in Korean).
- 독도수비 해경, 그물걸린 범고래 구조 - 멸종위기 해양생물 보호 적극적인 조치 기대. K07011002K (in Korean): ENVIROASIA. 2007. Archived from the original on 19 January 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- 独島警備の海洋警察、網にかかったシャチ救出. K07011002J (in Japanese). Translated by Koike T.: ENVIROASIA 2007. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "동해 고래, 한미관계 뿐 아니라 독도 역사와도 연결". 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- 국민일보 (Gookmin Daily). "독도‘실효적 지배’새 근거 (New Evidence of effective control), 1890년 이전부터 독도서 강치잡이 (Sea lion hunting before 1890)
- Japan: Outline of Takeshima Issue
- 독도 오수정화시설이 동해바다 오염 주범?. Imaeil (in Korean). 28 September 2007. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2009.
- 독도 바다쓰레기 청소 6월2일부터 석달간 [Three-Month Cleanup for Dokdo's Marine Garbage Starts from June 2] (in Korean).
- 나무 심고 오물 줍고…아름다운 ‘독도 사랑’ (in Korean). 5 July 2010. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2010.
- Vladivostok News report Archived 23 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- Choe 2008.
- KOIS staff 2007a.
- KOIS staff 2007.
- Cambria, of New Bedford, Apr. 29, 1849, Nicholson Whaling Collection; Cape Horn Pigeon, of New Bedford, Apr. 19, 1892, Kendall Whaling Museum.
- On 13 December 1997 the "Special Act on the Preservation of Ecosystem in Island Areas Including Dokdo Island" was enacted by the South Korean parliament. The title of the Natural Monument No. 336, the Dokdo Seaweed Habitat, was changed to the Dokdo National Nature Reserve in December 1999. "Dokdo in History: Chronology". The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea.
- Hong, Euny (2014). The birth of Korean cool: how one nation is conquering the world through pop culture (1st ed.). New York: Picador. ISBN 978-1-250-04511-9.
- Lee Tae-hee (13 February 2019). "Widow to remain sole Dokdo resident, authorities confirm". The Korea Herald.
- McKirdy, Euan; Jeong, Sophie (15 February 2019). "Widow, 81, sole resident of remote island disputed by South Korea and Japan". CNN.
- 竹島人口は7万人 4年で倍増 日本人17人も住民登録している!?. KoreaWorldTimes (in Japanese). 16 August 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
- Ha 2008.
- "Life in Dokdo". Cyber Dokdo of Korea. Archived from the original on 11 January 2013.
- ""Logbooks of the Japanese Warship Niitaka September 25th 1904"". Dokdo Takeshima The Historical Facts of the Dispute. 1 September 2008.
- Agency, United States Central Intelligence; Office, Government Publications (2016). The World Factbook 2016-17. Government Printing Office. p. 406. ISBN 9780160933271.
- "문화재(천연기념물)보호구역지정". 2 December 1982.
References
- BAEK In-ki; SHIM Mun-bo; Korea Maritime Institute (December 2006), A study of Distance between Ulleungdo and Dokdo and Ocean Currents (울릉도와 독도의 거리와 해류에 관한 연구), pp. 20–22, ISBN 978-89-7998-340-1, archived from the original on 12 January 2013
- BBC staff (20 April 2006), Seoul and Tokyo hold island talks, BBC
- BBC staff (27 July 2008), "Island row hits Japanese condoms", BBC News
- Fern, Sean (Winter 2005), "Tokdo or Takeshima? The International Law of Territorial Acquisition in the Japan-Korea Island Dispute", Stanford Journal of East Asian Affairs, 5 (1)
- Gyeongsangbuk-do Province (28 September 2017a), "Climate", Dokdo, Beautiful island of Korea, Korean Government
- Gyeongsangbuk-do Province (28 September 2017b), "Composition", Dokdo, Beautiful island of Korea, Korean Government
- Gyeongsangbuk-do Province (28 September 2017c), "Location", Dokdo, Beautiful island of Korea, Korean Government
- Gyeo ngbuk Province (2001a), "Natural Environment", Cyber Dokdo, Korean Government, archived from the original on 29 July 2014
- Gyeo ngbuk Province (2001b), "Visit Dokdo", Cyber Dokdo, Korean Government, archived from the original on 29 July 2014
- Ha, Michael (26 August 2008), "A Unique Trip to Dokdo—Islets in the News", The Korea Times, archived from the original on 4 March 2016
- Kirk, Donald (26 July 2008), "Seoul has desert island dreams", Asia Times Online, archived from the original on 1 March 2009
- KOIS staff (12 January 2007), Cell phones give Korean ring to Dokdo, Korea.net, archived from the original on 2 March 2009
- KOIS staff (12 June 2007a), Doosan pours big drink for Dokdo residents, Korea.net, archived from the original on 2 March 2009
- Choe, Sang-Hun (28 August 2008), "A fierce Korean pride in a lonely group of islets", International Herald Tribune, archived from the original on 28 August 2008
- Yonhap staff (20 July 2011), N. Korea denounces Japan's vow to visit island near Dokdo, Yonhap News Agency
External links
South Korea
- Official website
- Dokdo Research Institute (Korea)
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea
- 대한민국외교부 (22 April 2014). "Dokdo, Beautiful Island of Korea". YouTube. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021.
Japan
- "Takeshima Archives Portal" (Cabinet Secretariat, Japan)
- "Commissioned Research Report on Archives of Takeshima" Cabinet Secretariat, Japan
- "Takeshima" (Shimane prefectural office, Japan)
- Japanese Territory / "Takeshima" (MOFA, Japan)
- "10 Issues of Takeshima" Northeast Asia Division, Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, MOFA, Japan (February 2008)
- "TAKESHIMA: 10 points to understand the Takeshima Dispute" Northeast Asia Division, Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, MOFA, Japan (March 2014)
- MOFA, Japan (31 October 2013). "Takeshima - Seeking a Solution based on Law and Dialogue". YouTube. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021.
37°14′30″N 131°52′00″E / 37.24167°N 131.86667°E / 37.24167; 131.86667
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