It has been so long now, since we have fought for Dokdo's sovereignty.
Japan is constantly claiming Dokdo as "Takeshima" and it is most justifiable for us to claim it back to our land.
Dokdo may seem very small and powerless but it is our proud land which we conquered a long history with. Dokdo is a part of our painful history. As one, we have grown strong and firm.
There is a long journey ahead of us and is not an easy one. No matter what may occur, we will stand strong by each other's side.

Ahn Yong-Bok

Ahn Yong-Bok was a Korean fisherman in Joseon dynasty (1392-1910) and for Koreans, he is well-know as a hero and a guardian of Dokdo Islets. More likely a citizen diplomat for the Korean people.

When the Korean government didn't bother to retrieve the right of Dokdo's sovereighty, Ahn Yong-Bok headed to Japan as a humble status of a fisherman and firmly claimed Dokdo as Korean territory. He is the one who acknowledged that Dokdo is part of Korea and our precious land.

According to Sukjong Sillok, Ahn Yong-Bok received verification from the Dokugawa Administration of Japan that Ulleungdo and Dokdo are Joseon’s territories.
Thanks to his effort, until now Dokdo is one of Korean people's greatest interest and could keep in our noble history. We can claim Dokdo as Korea's territory and the truth of Dokdo with dignity.

Illegal annexation of Dokdo by Japan

In the middle of Russo-Japanese war(1904-1905), Japan disseized Dokdo and incorporated the islets to into the Shimane Prefecture(Shimane Prefecture Public Notice n.40)


This annexation is a violation of international law and cannot be justified for any reasons. It is clearly an infringement on the undeniable sovereignty of Korea and also an illegal action of Japan under the law of the international society.


Korea was annexed to Japan in 1910 and the colonial rule finally ended in 1945 with Japan's defeat after the World War II. In 1945, when Korea gained independance, Dokdo was also returned back to Korea. Dokdo was excluded from Japan's territory and was reaffirmed by the Peace Treaty with Japan. This treaty is also known as San Francisco Treaty, September 8 1951.
Since then, Dokdo has been under effective control of Korea.

It is clear that the sovereignty over Dokdo is definitely Korean.

Dokdo

Dokdo, consisting of two rocky islets(Dongdo and Seodo), has been called several different names in the past, but today the island is called Dokdo by Koreans and Takeshima by the Japanese.

The standard name by the U.S. Board on Geographical Names (BGN) is Liancourt under the country category of South Korea and Take-shima under that of Japan. However, the BGN makes it clear that its geographical names do not necessarily reflect the U.S. view of the sovereignty over geographical features.

Dokdo Islets

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Dokdo Islets

Dokdo in the East Sea is Korean territory geographically.
Geographical records from Joseon Dynasty; Sejong Sillok Jiriji* and the Chronicle of King Sejong show this fact.
In these records, they indicate the islets as Usando.

Dokdo is located in the easternmost of Korea. Situated 87.4km to the south-east t of Ulleungdo, 151km away from the truce line, and 160km away from the Oki island of Japan. The latitude of Dokdo is between 131˚52'07"degrees north and its longitude is between 37˚14'12"degrees east.

In Sejong Sillok Jiriji, it is recorded that Dokdo and Ulleungdo are close to each other that Dokdo can be seen from Uleungdo but not from Oki island in Japan.

*Sejong Sillok Jiriji-

Geographical Apprendix to the veritable records of King Sejong, 1432

　　　　　　　　　　　

It is especially more visible with the naked eye on a clear day.
The residents of Ulleungdo recognized Dokdo as their belonging island since a long time.




In 1696, the sovereignty over Dokdo was finalized officially by receiving confirmation of Korean jurisdiction from the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan.
In 1905, the Imperial Japan officially declared Dokdo its territory in the opening stages of its forced annexation of the entire Korean Peninsula. It was consistent with the principle of national independence that Korea later reclaimed sovereignty over the island in upon liberation from the Japanese colonial rule 1945.


visit CYBER DOKDO
http://www.dokdo.go.kr/eng/