1894 Japanese map of Korea "朝鮮輿地図"

This Japanese map of Korea “朝鮮輿地図” was published in 1894 (the 27^th year of Meiji) as a reduced copy of Kim Ok-gyun (金玉均)’s map of Korea.

P.S. Sorry, the same map was already introduced by Gerry here:

http://dokdo-or-takeshima.blogspot.com/2008/05/1894-japanese-map-of-korea-chosen.html

The preface of the map:

此図ハ前年金玉均氏カ本国ヲ去ル時携帯シ来レル彼邦無二ノ明細分間大絵図ニシテ氏生前姑クモ座右ヲ離サザリシガ先般上海ニ航スルニ及テ何思ケン當地ノ或貴顕ノ方ニ遺シ置ケリシヲ時事ニ感ズル所アリ乞テ之ヲ縮写シ図中八道諸州府県郡兵営水営諸鎮名勝名邑山川岬角港湾島嶼ノ位置一見掌ヲ指スガ如シ彼レ曽テ国力ヲ以テ調査シタルモノ之ニ加フルニ便覧ノ為メ京城元山津釜山浦仁川漢江等附近ノ箇所五区ニ分チ特ニ切図トナシ尚京城ヨリ諸名区ニ至ル里程表ヲ加エ併セテ図ノ縁辺ニ付記セリ坊間往々朝鮮図アルモ未タ如此モノ有ラズ実ニ天下無比ノ明細図也弊堂聊カ報国ノ心ヲ以テ務メテ廉売ヲ●（上の字の下に日）トシ内国人士ニ頒タント欲ス乞フ各所ノ書店ニ就テ購買アランコトヲ

"This map originated from the one and only detailed map of Korea that Kim Ok-gyun had brought with him when he left his country a few years ago. He always had the map with him during his lifetime, however he left it to a certain gentleman when he set out for Shanghai. As I felt it important considering current events, I begged to make a reduced copy of the map. It contained a lot of information including eight districts, prefectures, barracks, naval bases, places of scenic beauty, beautiful villages, mountains and rivers, capes and horns, bays and islands, which can be understood at a glance. It was investigated and made by him with the dignity of his country. I added small maps of five famous places including Seoul, Wonsan, Pusan harbour, Inchon and Hangan and also added a table of distances from Seoul at the rim of the map. There had been many maps of Korea but none of them can be compared with this detailed map. We try to sell this map at a reasonable price with a patriotic spirit, hoping to distribute this map to high-spirited gentlemen within our country. We beg you to buy your copy at your nearest book shop."

Kim Ok-gyun was assassinated in Shanghai on March 28^th 1894 (some sources mentioned it was February 29^th). [The drawing at the left is from a Korean magazine at that time.] This map was printed on March 1^st and published on March 7^th 1894, so it seems that the map was published before Kim Ok-gyun’s assassination but the preface mentioned “during his lifetime” and referred to the “current events” which suggested as if he had already been killed when the publication was made.

Anyway, this map was published at such a critical time when Kim Ok-gyun was assassinated and Sino-Japanese war was to take a place. According to the preface, the map was a reduced copy of the original map of Korea made by Kim Ok-gyun. Then, please take a look at the islands in the Sea of Japan. [Please click the map to enlarge]

竹島 (Takeshima/Jukdo) is drawn at about the same longitude as Tsushima (129 degree E long.) and its shape is different from Ulleungdo. Although there are place names such as a river 猪田川 and a mountain 中峰, it is definitely Argonaut island – the phantom island of Ulleungdo. On the other hand, there is an island 松島 (Matsushima/Songdo) drawn at almost the same longitude as Kitakyushu (Kokura/Moji) which is located at around 130 degree 53 minutes E long. The shape and the location are definitely those of Ulleungdo. There are no Liancourt Rocks in the map.

It shows that Korea recognized that they had two islands in the Sea of Japan – Takeshima/Jukdo (Argonaut) and Matsushima/Songdo (Dagelet) but they didn’t recognize Liancourt Rocks to be their territory in the 1890’s. Please remember that the original map was made by Korean government with the dignity of the nation as the preface of the above map mentioned. This is a very important source to understand what happened in 1900 and 1905/1906.

(1) Did the islands in the Edict #41 (1900) include Jukdo (Takeshima/Argonaut)? Did it mean Ulleungdo (Songdo) and Jukdo (Argonaut)?

If the original map of Kim Ok-gyun was made with the dignity of the nation of Korea, it is crystal clear that Korea didn't recognise Liancourt Rocks to be their territory. So the islands in the Edict, "the whole Ulleungdo and 竹島石島 (Jukdo Sokdo)" can't include Liancourt Rocks.

(2) When the chief of Ulleungdo was informed of Japan’s recent incorporation of an island called Takeshima in 1906, didn’t he misunderstand as if one of the two islands, Argonaut (Takeshima/Jukdo) , was incorporated?

In addition, there is a copy of handwriting by Pak Yong-hyo (朴泳孝), who was a comrade of Kim Ok-gyun, at the left upper place of the map. It reads "紹隆三寶" which means "Succeed the three treasures and make them prosper". (Three treasures are nation, people and monarch.)

http://www.pref.shimane.lg.jp/soumu/web-takeshima/takeshima04/takeshima04-1/takeshima04-h.html