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제목 Dokdo is a small cluster of volcanic islands made of lava located in the East Sea of Korea, lying strategically between Korea and Japan.

 


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Dokdo is a small cluster of volcanic islands made of lava located in the

 

 East Sea of Korea, lying strategically between Korea and Japan.

 

There are two main islands, one to the east, the other to the west and

 

78 small sunken rocks. These rocks are named after their shapes.

 

There are the Mulgae (Fur Sdal) rock, Dokripmun (Liberation

 

Monument) rock, Chotdae (Candle Stick) rock and Eolgul (Face) rock.

 

 Dokdo was designated as a wildlife protection area and named

 

Korea’s Natural Heritage site #336.

Dockdo is owned by the Ministry of Fish and Maritime Affairs, managed

 by the Maritime and Ports Administration. On the main island th the

 

east, 17.7 billion won were invested to build Dockdo port facilities with

 

an 80-meter main pier, a 20-meter small pier and a 137-meter entry

 

road. This was on November 11th, 1997.

 

When the project was completed, a monument was erected. It reads “on

 

 the easternmost part of the Korean peninsula we instilled our Koreas

 

 spirit by putting the angry and billowing waves into a deep sleep. Now

 

 Dockdo is under our control.”

 

We should take more proactive measures to claim Dockdo as ours at a time when the Japanese government

 

 is more committed to making Dockdo its territory than the Korean government is. We have to hold the

 

incompetent government responsible for the situation and immediately demand the abolition of or changes

 

 to the New Korea-Japan Fishery Agreement. The issue of  is not just a one-time protest against Japanbased

 

 on nationalistic sentiment nor is it a baseball game where either wins or loses. It is a serious matter

 

 between governments which must be settled in order to keep the peace between the two nations.

 

 

During the Russo=Japanese War, Japan committed a horrific crime by

 

secretly incorporating Dockdo belonging to Korea into its territory,

 

because of the strategic and military significance of the island. Japan

 

has a plan to secure its homeland defense line, also the Marine Self

 

Defense’s route to oil exploitation, linking the Kuril Islands-Sakhalin-

 

Donghae(Dockdo)-Joeodo(Sengakudai)-Persian Gulf by annexing

 

Dockdo to its territory.

 

In addition to its military and strategic value, Dockdo is receiving attention as a new place for people to live  in the 21st century.

 

 

Dong Hae, the body of water surrounding Dockdo, is known as the East

 

Sea od Lorea and is a treasure trove of maritime resources. The first

 

 time Dockdo appeared in historic documents was in “Samguksagi”

 

complied by Kim Busik in the Koryo era. According th the book,

 

Ulleungdo and Usando (noe Dockdo) comprised an independent

 

administrative unit. In the 13th year of King Jijeung (512), the Shilla

 

Kingdom sonquered Usanguk. From that point on, every year,

 

Usanguk paid tax to the Shilla Kinhdom in the form of local products.

 

The late 17th century saw first dispute over the territory with Japan. It happened during King Sukjong’s

 

rule because of the activities of civilian An Yongbok.

 

The dispute involving Ulleungdo and Dockdo came to

 

an end with Japan admitting its culpability and sending a letter of

 

apology to Chosun Dynasty leaders. In that letter the Japanese

 

government gave up its rights to the territory of Dockdo Island.

 In the year 1900 (the 13th year of the King Kojong era), the 4th Decree of the Empire of Corea renamed

 

Ulleungdo to Uldo and established a new independent administrative unit for Ulleungdo and Dockdo.

 

 

However, based on the 1904 Chosun-Japan Protocol, the Navy of Japan

 

established a military unit on Dockdo. The Shimane prefecture of

 

Japan, on February 22, 1905, announced that Takeshima (Dockdo)

 

shall be incorporated into the Shimane prefecture. Japan made this

 

announcement to the Empire of Corea in April 1906. But with the defeat

 

of the Empire of Japan, the highest command of the Allied forces

 

declared Dockdo shall be separated from Japan’s territory and

 

returned to Korea. (SCAPIN No.677) With the establishment of the

 

Republic of Korea in the south on August 15, 1948, the government

 

took steps on January 18 to give Dockdo an official administrative

 

address. On that date in 1952, Korea announced “the President’s

 

Declaration on the Sovereignty of the Neighboring Sea”, commonly

 

known as the Peace Line. Ten days after the announcement Japan sent

 

a diplomatic letter to Korea saying Dockdo lay within its territory,

 

contradicting Korea’s claim of ownership.

 

 

Fierce disputes through diplomatic letters between the two

 

governments followed. On addition, the Japanese government landed

 

officials and young people boarding from its patrol boats on Dockdo on

 

June 27, June 28, July 1 and July 28 of 1953. These were people kicked

 

out by the residents of Ulleungdo by forming the ‘Dockdo Volunteer

 

Guards.’ After that, Japan claimed territorial rights over Dockdo. Since

 

the late seventies, many Japanese government officials, including the

 

Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, have declared that

 

Dockdo is a Japanese territory, causing diplomatic disputes.

 

 

In 1996 the declaration of the EEZ (Economically Exclusive Zone) by the

Japanese government provoked another fierce territory dispute over 
Dockdo, resulting in the 1998 New Korea-Japan Fishery Agreement. 
One of the reasons the Japanese may be so adamant about claiming 
Dockdo for its own is because of the discovery od oil and natural gas 
bede within 200 kilometers of the EEZ. The New Fishery Agreement 
stipulates that 35 nautical miles from Ulleungdo and 35 nautical mile

 

 
 
 

from Okido are the economically exclusive zones of both Korea and
Japan. The sea surrounding Dockdo which falls in between is included
in ‘middle water.’ After the agreement was issued, some residents in 
the Shimane prefecture in Japan changed their census register to 
Dockdo, prompting a campaign civic groups. Japan had already known
about the secret of oil and natural gas buried under Dong Hae or the 
East Sea od Korea, within Korean territory.

China is also very interested in this territory for the development of energy.
Not only are the tensions 
evident between Korea and Japan, there are also growing tensions between
Japan and China as well.
For Korea and Japan, the arguments currently taking place could lead to a
possible war. The Japanese 
are very strong in their desire to claim Dockdo’s rich natural resources. 
Given their history of 
militarism during World War Two, it would not be surprising to see more 
activity in that area.

The people of Korea must correct history rewritten by Japan regarding the 
ownership of Dockdo Island
Citizens must fulfill their obligation for mandatory military duty in order to
be prepared for the threat
of war. If we have learned anything from history, it would be the tragedy of 
losing sovereignty over territory belonging to Korea.
Though we have now mover into the new millenium, some Japanese 
government officials are still in the
grip of imperialism. They are still claiming that Dockdo belongs to them. It is

 a significant issue that is

 causing frictions between the two countries. Some believe this situation 

could lead inevitably to Peace

 "The Passion and Beauty"of Korean Art

A Historical , Cultural,and Political Perspective

Written by David ,Chang

Published Registration No 2 - 3394 (2004)
 
Sponsor : galleriajang- Pure_Natural  Farm .Green Tea
 
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