2008 - Dec. 10 - South Korea' Expansionism/Territorial Ambition never dies.

In July, 50 South Korean lawmakers handed a resolution to their legislature demanding that the government claim Tsushima as its territory. But this time, according to Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun, they actually submitted the territorial resolution to the Diet subcommittee last December.

Korea's claim for Takeshima/Dokdo has no historical nor legal basis, as we have studied for the last few years. And as for Tushima, they neither have any historical basis to claim. As we know, Korean president Rhee Syngman originally claimed Tushima, before he started his absurd claim on Takeshima as well as non-existent "Parangdo" in 1949, but it was rejected by Allied Forces and Korean government officially agreed not to claim Tsushima.

However, it seems that they have no ability to understand history nor international law. This time, 50 members of Korean Diet submitted the resolution to claim Tsushma as their territory without any legal basis once again.

On January 18th 1952, the President of ROK Syngman Rhee (李承晩) suddenly issued a Declaration concerning maritime sovereignty, with which he installed the so-called “Syngman Rhee Line” including Liancourt Rocks in the Korean territory, it was three months before April when the Peace Treaty, which admitted Takeshima as Japanese territory, would be effective. The fishing boats, which were mostly Japanese, that violated the Syngman Rhee Line were seized by South Korea. Japanese records claim that until an agreement was reached in 1965, 3929 of Japanese people were arrested, 328 of Japanese ships were seized, and casualty was 44 of Japanese.

Korean have been illegally occupied Takeshima/Dokdo and refusing to go to ICJ to settle the dispute peacefully for more than 55 years. This time, Korea's expansionism went too far and I almost feel sad for their crazy action. Having said that, it is favourable for Japan since it simply proves the nature of Korea's greedy ambition for grabbing the land from Japan as much as possible and the lacks of ability of reading historical record and international law properly, which can be seen in Takeshima/Dokdo dispute as well. Now, it is apparent that Korean territorial claim on Takeshima/Dokdo is baseless and came out of greed just like in the case of Tsushima.

South Korea's territory resolution for Tsushima referred to the Diet subcommittee. (cache) Sankei Shimbun, Jan. 15, 2009

On 14th this month, it revealed that the diplomatic trade union committee of the South Korean Diet had referred "the resolution of demand the confirmation and restoration of Tsushima as a Republic of Korea's territory" in order to make Tsushima a South Korea territory. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified it in "Assembly member league for the action to defend Japanese territory" general meeting. This resolution was submitted by 50 assembly members of ruling and opposition parties in the South Korea Diet last July, and referred to this committee in August the next day. According to the ministry, the resolution was referred to the subcommittee on Dec. 10 last year and the subcommittee discussion will not have started yet, though the Minister of Diplomatic Trade of South Korea has declared that "The claim of sovereignty on Tsushima is inapposite" .

References ;
1951 - July 19th - The 2nd Conversation between Yu Chan Yang and John F. Dulles

1952- January: Syngman Rhee Line

Korea’s three 21st century invasions of Japan (Ampontan)