| Ô¼Óö Dokdo Island ñÓÓö |
| The historical facts of the Dokdo - Takeshima Island dispute between Korea and Japan |
| Dokdo-Related Historical Data |
| Dokdo Island consists of a group of disputed islets in the Sea of Japan (East Sea). South Korea currently controls the islets where they are known as Dokdo (Solitary islands), but they also claimed by Japan where they are known as Takeshima (Bamboo islands). The name "Liancourt Rocks" comes from the French whaling ship Liancourt which charted the islets in 1849. The Korean Central News Agency of North Korea refers to them as Tok Islet in its English-language articles and supports control of the islands by "the Korean nation".
South Korea claims it as Korean territory from records that date back to the sixth century during the Unified Shilla period and on the 1900 Korean Empire ordinance officially incorporating three islands into modern Ulleung County. Japanese claims come from seventeenth century records, as well as a "terra nullius" incorporation in 1905. Today, South Korea classifies the islets as a part of Ulleung County, North Gyeongsan Province, while Japan classifies them as part of Okinoshima, in Oki District, Shimane Prefecture. |
| The total area of the islets is about 187,450 square meters, with their highest point at 169 meters in the western islet. The western islet is about 88,640 square meters in area; the eastern islet about 73,300 square meters. Liancourt Rocks are located at about 131¡Æ52¡Ç East longitude and about 37¡Æ14¡Ç North latitude. The western islet is located at 37¡Æ14¡Ç31¡ÈN, 131¡Æ51¡Ç55¡ÈE and the eastern islet is located at 37¡Æ14¡Ç27¡ÈN, 131¡Æ52¡Ç10¡ÈE. The islets are 215 kms from mainland Korea and 250 kms from mainland Japan. The nearest Korean territory Ulleung-do is 87 kms away and can be visible on fair days the nearest Japanese territory Oki Islands is 157 kms away. |
| Liancourt Rocks are composed mainly of two islets, 150 meters apart (Seodo and Dongdo in Korean, Nishi-jima and Higashi-jima in Japanese; both literally meaning western island à¤Óö and eastern island ÔÔÓö, respectively). The western islet is the larger of the two islets. Altogether, there are about 90 islets and reefs, volcanic rocks formed in the Cenozoic era. 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 meters high. There are two caves giving access to the sea, as well as a crater.A total of 37 of these islets are recognized as permanent land. In 2006, a geologist reported that the islets formed 4.5 million years ago and are quickly eroding. |
| A Brief Background of Dokdo - Takeshima Island |
| Over 900 Korean citizens list the islets as their residence, while over 2,000 Japanese do the same. Only two people are permanent residents. The Korean government subsidizes their living there in order to justify a claim of habitation.
Korean telecom service providers (namely SK Telecom, KTF, and LG Telecom) have also installed stations on Liancourt Rocks to cover the islets in the South Korean wireless telephone network.
There is regular ferry service from Ulleungdo. There were 1,507 and 1,597 recorded tourists in 2003 and 2004 respectively. Due to their status as a nature reserve, special permits are required for tourists seeking to land on the islets rather than just circling them. Although the islets themselves are barely habitable, the Exclusive Economic Zone surrounding them has rich fishing grounds and possible reserves of natural gas. As of 2006, the expected reserves have not been found. A wide variety of fish as well as seaweed, kelp, sea slugs, and clams are located around the Liancourt Rocks. Major fishery catches in the area are squid, Alaskan pollock, codfish, and octopus. There are 102 species of seaweed, although many of these have no economic value. This area used to be one of the largest breeding grounds of sea lions and a good spot for hunting them and also a spot for obtaining abalone at the end of the Meiji Era (1868-1912). Until the 1950s, sea lions were observed on Liancourt Rocks by the voluntary guards There are approximately 37 South Korean police that guard the islets, also there are Ministry of Maritime Affairs &Fisheries personnel, and three lighthouse keepers living on the islets in rotation. In the past, several fishermen also lived there temporarily. In 2005, the first recorded wedding ceremony was held on Liancourt Rocks. The South Korean couple chose the location to protest against Japanese territorial claims Due to its location and extremely small size, Liancourt Rocks sometimes have harsh weather. At times, ships are unable to dock because of strong northwestern winds in winter. The climate is warm and humid, and heavily influenced by warm sea currents. Precipitation is high throughout the year (annual average - 1324 mm), with occasional snowfall. Fog is a common sight. In the summer, southernly winds dominate. The water around the islets is about 10 degrees Celsius in spring, when the water is coolest. It warms to about 25 degrees Celsius in August. Korea and Japan have a long, complex history of cultural exchange, war, and political rivalry. The islets are the last disputed territory between Korea and Japan following World War II. |
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