1906 - Feb 20 & April 17 - "Official Documents of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Vol.1" - Korean government protested about land transaction in 竹邊浦

Korean Imperial government officially acquiesced the Japan's sovereignty over Takeshima/Dokdo by not protesting about the island against Japan in 1906.

To follow is the official documents of the Imperial Korea's Ministry of Internal Affairs (大韓帝国議政府内部) in 1906 which recorded the exchanges among Korean central governmental officials, local officers, Japanese merchant and Japanese Resident-General. Imperial Korean government ordered the local government to investigate the situation when they received the report that a Japanese came to apply the official certification for the site after Japanese Navy removed watchtower that they built in Jukbyeon(竹邊) coast, Uljin County, Gangwon Province. The nearest village on peninsula from Ulleungdo, which locates just opposite Ulleungdo. Then they sent official inquiry to protest the "land grab" against Japanese Governor General. As a result, they succeeded in preventing Japanese from gaining Korean land as illegal land transaction of the Korean land.

Famous Dokdo evangelist Prof. Shin also confirms this.

Right after the end of Russo-Japanese War, the chief of the watchtower and a Japanese merchant "conspired" to try to "snatch" the land when Imperial Japan took away the watchtower built in Jukbyeon coast, Uljin, Kangwon-to. Over the period of 6 months of dispute and negotiation, those efforts by Korean Imperial government succeeded to prevent this （Shin Yong-ha (1997)）.

Korean side, including Prof. Shin claims that Korean "couldn't protest" against Japanese in 1906 when they finally realized the incorporation of Takeshima/Dokdo into Shimane by Japan, not that they "didn't protest", on the grounds Japan-Korea Protectorate Treaty on Nov. 17, 1905 practically deprived Korea of its diplomatic sovereignty. However, these Korean official documents revealed the fact that their claim is totally baseless. As their own documents shows, not only Korean did have a right to protest against Japan, but also they had actually succeeded in preventing Japanese from grabbing(!?) the land in Jukbyeon coast. On the contrary, they didn't even inquire of Japanese Resident-General, not to mention protest, for Takeshima/Dokdo case. Consequently, by the international law, it is naturally regarded that Korean Imperial government officially acquiesced the Japan's sovereignty over Takeshima/Dokdo by not expressing protest against Japan, even though they diplomatically protested for this other similar territorial case during the same period of time. In other word, Japanese government's claim to the title of Takeshima was unchallenged by the government of Korea in 1906. Thus, Japanese sovereignty was legally established internationally at this point.

Professor Shin seems to ignore this important fact intentionally.

Why they didn't protest for Dokdo, which, according to Ulleungdo magistrate, belongs to the county, while they did protest for Jukbyeon(竹邊) coast?

The two cases shares three points in common. 1. Territorial Dispute (between Japan) , 2. Officials in Charge(朴齋純 & 李址鎔 & 李明來) 3. Period (Jan-May 1906).



As I showed above, in Takeshima case, when Korean central government finally received the report from Gangwon Province governor and Chunchon county magistrate Lee Myung-rae(江原道觀察署理・春川郡守 李明來), who originally received the report about "Dokdo", which locates 40km(!?) away from Ulleungdo, becoming Japanese territory from the county magistrate Shim Heung-taek(沈興沢), Minister of Interior Lee Jee-yong（内部大臣 李址鎔) and Prime Minister Bak Che-soon (議政府参政大臣・朴齋純） ordered governor Lee to investigate the "circumstances of the island in concern and the activity of Japanese on the island" by the "Directive no. III (指令第三号)" on 28 May. But there are absolutely no documents which tells us how governor Lee reported back or central government reacted, went public so far. There were even some Korean newspaper, which reported about Shim's report (大韓毎日申報, 1 May & 皇城新聞, 9 May ), though still wrongfully explaining that Japanese delegation came to investigate the population on "Dokdo" which is actually uninhabitable barren rock, but still, government didn't take any further action. Though we are not perfectly sure if Korean government intentionally hide those documents or there are no such documents in the first place. However, considering the contents of all the Korean official documents available, it is natural to conclude that Korean Imperial government must have had received the report from local officer that the island "独島(Dokdo)" in concern was found not to be Korean "Jukdo(竹島)", a neighbouring island of Ulleungdo, but actually the Liancourt Rocks/Japanese "Takeshima(竹島)" which happen to share same Chinese letter with Korean "Jukdo(竹島)", or they simply realized that it was Shim's mistake reporting Dokdo, which apparently locates "outside" of Uldo County, belonged to the County. In consequence, they didn't made even inquiry nor protest against Japan.

It is extremely hard to think of any other reason why those three officials (朴齋純 & 李址鎔 & 李明來) didn't even make inquiry to the Japanese Resident-General just like exactly the same trio did in Jukbyeon(竹邊) coast case around the same period.

Actually, many Korean documents firmly support this. For example, the Korean newspaper, "Hwangseong Shinmun" (皇城新聞) reported the article "Facts on Arrangement of Uldo County" on 13 July, which is only a month and a half later the "Directive no. III " was issued on 28 May. In the article, it says that when the Japanese Resident-General inqired the Korean Ministry of Interior about Ulleungdo Jurisdiction, Korean ministry officially replied the islands under the authority of the said county were Jukdo (竹島) and Seokdo (石島), and that it was sixty ri from east to west and forty ri from north to south for a total of 200 ri, which omit Dokdo from Uldo County . In addition, in September 26 edition, the same newspaper reported that the Uldo County magistrate had previously conducted a survey, starting the year of 1906, in accordance with an order from the Ministry of Interior, to determine boundaries and position of "the county," not the island. This implies Korean government did acknowledged the "boundaries of Uldo County" by the survey and must have realized Dokdo was totally outside of "Uldo County." On top of that, just like Japanese textbooks, all the Korean Geography textbooks define the eastern limit of Korea/Joseon as 130°35′～58′ Ｅ, excluding Takeshima/Dokdo which locates 131°55′ E.

Vaild Japanese Incorporation in terms of the International Law

As for Japanese incorporation of Takeshima, all the preocedures were done legitimately. Having received a request for incorporation by Yozaburo Nakai(中井養三郎) in September 1904, the government of Japan confirmed that there were no traces of occupation by any other countries, while there were Japanese civilian's hut for economical activity, there is no problem in bringing Takeshima under the jurisdiction of the Okinoshima branch and that "Takeshima" is the appropriate name for the islands. With this confirmation, the government, in January 1905, through the Cabinet decision, stipulated that the islands came under the jurisdiction of the Okinoshima branch of Shimane Prefectural Government, and that the islands were officially named as "Takeshima." This decision was conveyed to the Governor of Shimane Prefecture by the Minister for Home Affairs. Based on the Cabinet Decision and the Ministerial Instruction from the Minister for Home Affairs, the Governor of Shimane Prefecture published in February 1905 that Takeshima was officially named as "Takeshima" and that it came under the jurisdiction of the Okinoshima branch. He also informed the Okinoshima branch to this effect. These measures were carried in the newspapers of the day and were broadly publicized.Based on the Cabinet Decision stipulating that Takeshima came under the jurisdiction of the Okinoshima branch of Shimane Prefectural Government, the governor registered Takeshima into the State Land Register, and established a license system for sea lion hunting. The hunting of sea lions continued from then until 1941. (See Japanese MOFA site. ) Those official procedures by Japan were considered to be the evidences for the display of sovereignty by Japan according to International Law. On the contrary, there are absolutely no trace of Korean display of sovereignty until 1950s.

Right after the incorporation, the Takeshima/Liancourt Rocks became famous since it located in the middle of the Japan Naval Battle and its name, sometimes with accurate maps, was printed and flying around in many media like official gazette(官報), newspaper（東京朝日新聞） and journals（日露戦争実記） all over Japan and even in Korea（皇城新聞） in 1905. Official gazette even corrected the name Liancourt Rocks to Takeshima. Since there were many Korean residents in Japan, especially Tokyo, plus Korean newspaper did reported "Angohu-to", there were plenty of chances for Korean to see "Liancourt Rocks/Takeshima" became Japanese island. It is highly unlikely that Korean couldn't protest in 1905, when they still kept diplomacy, because they didn't realized this "Liancourt Rocks/Takeshima" became Japanese territory. In fact, there are no single Korean documents which support they had any recognition of their sovereignty. Besides, even after they were told this by Shimane delegation and received the county magistrate's report in 1906, Korean government didn't even make inquiry to Japan about this issue as I show on this post. It is apparent Korean government then had no idea what this "Dokdo" island is nor had any recognition of Takeshima/Dokdo as their territory.

The documents were found by GTOMR and translated by matsu, with a great help of chaamiey and 小嶋日向守. Thank you, guys!! Beautiful collaboration. Love you all. And if you find the original document of those, please let us know where they are.

Official Documents of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Vol.1, Dates Feb. 26, 1906

Subject : To prohibit the illegal personal trade of the watchtower in Geunnbuk-myeon(近北面) Jukbyeon coast (竹邊浦) in Uljin(蔚珍) by Japanese

Inquiry No.3
Feb. 26, 1906
(From) Lee Jee-yong (李址鎔), the Minister of Interiors and the First Order of Merit
(To) Sir Park Che-soon (朴齊純), Prime Minister (議政府參政大臣)

(Lee) received the "Report no.16" from Lee Myeong-rae(李明來), a governor of Gangwon-do and a magistrate of Chunchon(春川) county. The contents of the report as follows.

13th last month (January), I received a report from Yu(尹宇榮), a Uljin County Magistrate. It says that Japanese Navy had already retreated from the watchtower in Geunnbuk-myeon, Jukbyeon coast in Uljin(蔚珍), but this time, a Japanese merchant named "Kohga(高賀)" visited the Magistrate of Uljin on 27th December(**). He said "I bought watchtower in Jukbyeon(竹邊) coast and its land from the administrator of watchtower. So I want Uljin Magistrate issue the official paper to approve my property." As a magistrate, I cannot process this by my own decision, so I report this to you."

(A commander of Kangwondo) ordered (Uljin magistrate) to swiftly investigate and report in detail the address, name and on what day, what month and at how much this "Kohga" man bought the land, as well as the name and the address of the administrator of the watchtower.

The magistrate of Uljin reported "By receiving the order, I summoned Kohga and inquired him more precisely. And he said "My address is ××××, 三養基郡○○○, Saga prefecture, Japan. And my family name is Saga(佐賀) and my first name is Mataji (Matatsugu?). A family name of the administrator of the watchtower is Takahashi and his first name is Kiyosige. He currently stations at Naval base in Sasebo, but I'm not sure where his real address is. I bought the watchtower at the price of 180 yen when Japanese Navy retreated in October, last year (1905). But I didn't buy the land itself. But it is common practice that the land usually belongs to the owner of the property on it. So I offered the previous owner that I'd like to buy the land as well. (Or I'd like to buy the land as I'd told him before.)"

(Lee Myeong-ｒae or Lee Jee-yong) investigated more precisely, and see this Japanese merchant Kohga's buying it from administrator Takahashi Kiyoshige privately, even after Japanese Navy who stationed the watchtower for military purpose and had already retreated, is like a bandit's illegal activity and this is unreasonable. So I report this to you. " I (Lee Jee-yong ) hope you to look into this matter, negotiate swiftly (with Japan), let them to ban right away and specify the deal.

From Lee Jee-yong , the Minister of Interiors and the First Order of Merit, to Sir Park Che-soon, Prime Minister
Feb. 26, 1906


Official Documents of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Vol.1, Dates Apr. 17, 1906

Subject : Inquiry about selling watchtower and attached building in Jukbyeon(竹邊) coast in Uljin County to Japanese

Government Inquiry No.56 to the Ministry of Internal Affairs
Apr. 17, 1906
(From) Sir Park Che-soon, Prime Minister
(To) Lee Jee-yong, the Minister of Interiors and the First Order of Merit
(Approved by) Prime Minister, (參贊), Chief of secretary section, Chief of document section, Prime Minister, Chief of bureau, Chief of inquiry, First Chief

Receiving Inquiry no.3 from Sir Lee, I sent a letter to Japanese Resident General, concerning a case of prohibiting illegal personal trade of the watchtower in Geunnbuk-myeon Jukbyeon coast in Uljin by Japanese, and received the reply document. To follow is what was written in the document from them.

"We received "Inquiry no. 13", concerning selling watchtower in Jukbyeon coast in Uljin County and based on the inquiry, we sent documents to Naval Base in Sasebo in order to investigate the situation. The report says "The building and structures used for watchtower was determined to be transferred to the buyer after receiving the payment and it was sold to Koga(古賀) Mataji from Saga prefecture. The payment had been collected on 27th of December, last year. However, the site was never sold." (We) would reply (to your "Inquiry no.13") in this way, hoping you would understand the situation."

As we have received Japanese answer such, so please do refer this.

(From) Park Che-soon, Prime Minister (to) Lee Jee-yong , the Minister of Interiors and the First Order of Merit

Apr. 17, 1906

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

内部來去案 第1冊 光武10年2月26日條

울진의 근북면 죽변포 망루를 일본인이 사적으로 매매한 것은 불법이니 금지시킬 것

（文書番号）照會 第三號　
（発送日）光武十年二月二十六日（１９０６年０２月２６日）
（発送者）內部大臣勳一等 李址鎔
（受信者）議政府參政大臣 朴齊純 閣下

現接　江原道觀察署理春川郡守李明來의 第十六號報告書內開
頃於上月十三日에 接閱蔚珍郡守 尹宇榮 報告書즉 內槪
本郡近北面竹邊浦望樓 留駐之日本海軍이 今爲撤歸이온바
今陰曆十二月二十七日 日本商人 高賀者 來到郡廳曰
竹邊浦所在望樓與地段을　並爲買得於望樓長인즉　自郡으로　認許公文成給이라하온바
郡守가 不可自下擅便故로 玆에 報告等因이하기
高賀者居住姓名과 何月日에 給價幾許買得과 望樓長之姓名居址을
幷即詳探報來하야 以爲轉報케는事로 指飭以送이더니
即接該郡守報告 內開
即到指令를 承準하와 招致高賀 詳問事狀인즉
自己는 日本佐賀縣三養基郡○○○××××番戶(*) 而姓은佐賀오名은亦次오
望樓長은 高橋오 名은淸重이오 居住는日本佐世保海兵團詰兵所오 居址는 不知이온바
上年十月日 駐箚撤歸之時에 給一百八十圓 買得望樓 而址地는 不爲買賣이온니
基址之隨家는意有常例하야 地段幷買之意로 前有所告이다故로 緣由報告等因을
據査하온즉
蔚珍郡竹邊浦望樓은 日本海軍이軍用暫駐타가 已爲撤歸이온바
今此日本商民高賀亦次가 望樓長高橋淸重에게 私相賣買云者가 非徒違越定章이오라
萬不近理이하기
玆以仰佈하오니 査照하신 후 迅辦交涉하시와 即行禁止케하시고 示明하시믈 爲要.

內部大臣勳一等 李址鎔 議政府參政大臣 朴齊純 閣下

光武十年二月二十六日

內部來去案 第1冊,　光武10年4月17日條, 議政府 照會 第五十六號 內部(1906.04.17)

울진의 근북면 죽변포 망루 및 부속건물을 일본인에게 매각함을 조회

（文書番号）議政府 照會 第五十六號 內部
（発送日）光武十年四月十七日（１９０６年０４月１７日）
（発送者）議政府參政大臣 朴齊純
（受信者）內部大臣 李址鎔 閣下
（決裁者）議政大臣 參贊 秘書課長 文書課長參政大臣 局長 調査課長 一課長

貴第三號 照會는接到하와

以蔚珍郡竹邊浦所在 望樓與地段 私相賣買禁止一事로
準即行文 日本統監□하고 業經照覆在案이온바
現樓該統監照覆內開
去月十四日 以蔚珍郡竹邊浦望樓賣却一事 接到貴第十三號照會 當經閱悉
準即行文 我佐世保海軍鎭守府 調査事實 仍接復開
該望樓所用建物及營造物　以代金收納後 擧越他人之意 賣却於佐賀縣人古賀亦次
去年十二月二十七日 業經受領代金　然該敷地決無賣却等因
準此照覆 照亮爲盼等因이하기
玆에 照會하오니 照亮하심을 爲要．

議政府參政大臣 朴齊純 　內部大臣 李址鎔 閣下

光武十年四月十七日

(note)

* The original document specify the address.
** The original document wrote it was lunar calender 27 Dec., which is solar calender 21 Jan. But it contradicts the day Uljin Magistrate reported to Gangwondo commander, so I considered it was mistake and translated as simply "27 Dec."

References:
1900 - The Times Map (China and Japan, Printing House, London)＊＊It shows Ulleungdo = Korean , Liancourt Rocks = Japanese
1905 - January 28th: the decision to incorporate Takeshima in to Shimane by a Cabinet meeting （公文類集第29編 竹島編入閣議決定）
1905 - Feb 24 - Takeshima Incorporated into Shimane Prefecture (山陰新報 "隠岐の新島")
1905 - May 29 , 30 & June 5- An Extra of Official Gazette "The War Report of The Japan Naval Battle"1905 - June 2 - 皇城新聞 : Korean called "Liancourt Rocks(リアンコルド岩)" as "Angohu島", not "Dokdo", Seokdo nor Usando.
1905 - June 3 - Japanese Magazine ”The True Record of Russo-Japanese War (日露戦争実記")
1905 - June 5 - Tokyo Asahi Shimbun Corrected "Liancourt Rocks" as "Takeshima"
1905 - Jul 3 - "Postcards to Commemorate Naval Battle" (山陰新報 " 海戦記念絵葉書")
1905 - Aug 6 - Japanese Officials to Visit Takeshima (山陰新報 "竹島渡航")
1905 - Aug 22 - "Governor Matsunaga Inspects Takeshima" (山陰新報 "松永知事の竹島視察")
1905 - Aug 22 - "Sea Pigs" Near Takeshima (山陰新報 "県庁内に海豚放養")
1906 - Mar 11 - "Voyage to Takeshima Decided" (山陰新報 "竹島行決定")
1906 - July - Korea Omits Dokdo from Uldo County (皇城新聞 「鬱島郡의 配置顛末」)
Korean Eastern limits described in various books world wide exclude Takeshima/Dokdo from Korean Territory
The Territorial Recognitions which Western Maps of Japan Show for Takeshima/Liancour Rocks between 1880-1905 : Ver.1