It was not long after arriving in Korea when I first heard about Dokdo Island from some very proud Koreans. This small piece of land is also known as Takeshima Island and is also being claimed by Japan. The argument over who owns this rock seemed rather immature coming from two nations with much bigger issues on their hands. However, Dokdo/Takeshima Island is deeply symbolical of the long historical conflict between these two countries. (I also quickly learned how useful it is to bring this topic up during speaking class with my students.)
The group of small islets is 215 km (116 mi) from mainland Korea and 211 km (114 mi) from the main island of Japan.[1] It is known to Koreans as Dokdo (Solitary) Island and to the Japanese as Tekashima (Bamboo) Island. For the purpose of having a neutral title, it is worth mentioning that the island has also been named Liancourt Rocks after a French whaling ship which was nearly wrecked on the rocks in 1849. The total surface area of the islets is a mere 187.45 squared meters but It is situated in rich fishing waters with some natural gas deposits. The ownership of this tiny piece of land has been under dispute for decades. Historically based claims made from both Korea and Japan have left the Liancourt Rocks officially unclaimed and an ongoing political debate.
In recent news, Korean President, Lee Myung-bak, made an unprecedented visit to the island on August 10. In 1954, South Korea stationed a small police detachment on Dokdo. During Lee’s recent visit he told the Dokdo police officers, “Dokdo is the end of our territory. Please make sure to defend Dokdo well.”[2] Japan responded with anger and protest in Tokyo. South Korea rejects Japan’s claims to Dokdo as a symbolic stand of pride against its 1910-1945 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula. After WWII, Korea reclaimed sovereignty over its territory; however, ownership of the Liancourt Rocks was not actually established. Therefore, for Koreans, this dispute over territory is reminiscent of the Japanese colonial occupation which ended 67 years ago.
In recent news, Korean President, Lee Myung-bak, made an unprecedented visit to the island on August 10. In 1954, South Korea stationed a small police detachment on Dokdo. During Lee’s recent visit he told the Dokdo police officers, “Dokdo is the end of our territory. Please make sure to defend Dokdo well.”[2] Japan responded with anger and protest in Tokyo. South Korea rejects Japan’s claims to Dokdo as a symbolic stand of pride against its 1910-1945 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula. After WWII, Korea reclaimed sovereignty over its territory; however, ownership of the Liancourt Rocks was not actually established. Therefore, for Koreans, this dispute over territory is reminiscent of the Japanese colonial occupation which ended 67 years ago.
At the Olympics
This possessive rivalry surfaced at the 2012 Bronze medal Soccer game in London. The game happened to fall right around the anniversary of Korean’s Independence Day. After Korea won, midfielder, Park Jong-Woo, grabbed a political sign from a fan reading, “Dokdo is Our Territory”.[3] Since political signs are against Olympic rules, Park Jong-Woo was banned from the medal ceremonies, but it was more than just a game for Korea. It was a victory burning with historical and political symbolism.
[1] "The Issue of Takeshima". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/takeshima/index.htm
[2] “South Korean President Visits dokdo Amid Protests from Japan”. KoreAm: The Korean Experience. http://iamkoream.com/south-korean-president-visits-dokdo-amid-protests-from-japan/
[3] “Football chief apologizes for handling the ‘Dokdo’ celebration aftermath”. http://view.koreaherald.com/kh/view.php?ud=20120817000986
