1900 - Oct. 22 - A petition by 李乾夏 "鬱陵島를鬱島로改稱하고島監을郡守로改正에關한請議書", which excluded Dokdo from Uldo County.

3 days before the Ordinance NO.41 was promulgated, the petition for the ordinance was submitted by 李乾夏, a Minister of Internal Affairs of Korea, and it says that "the area of the island in concern(該島地方) should be 80 ris(32km) in length and 50 ris(20km) in the width." As we know, today's Takeshima(Korean call as Dokdo, meaning lonely island) is 92km far from Ulleungdo.

울릉도(鬱陵島)를 울도(鬱島)로 개칭(改稱)하고 도감(島監)을 군수(郡守)로 개정(改正)에 관(關)한 청의서(請議書)

우해도(右該島)가 동명(東溟)에 특립(特立)하야 대륙(大陸)이 원격(遠隔)온바 개국오백사년(開國五百四年)에 도감(島監)을 설치(設置)하야 도민(島民)을 보호(保護)하고 사무(事務)를 관장(管掌)케 해도감(該島監) 배계주(裵季周)의 보첩(報牒)과 본부시찰관(本部視察官) 우용정(禹用鼎)과 동래세무사(東萊稅務司)의 시찰록(視察錄)을 참호절사(參互節査)하온즉 해섬지방(該島地方)이 종가팔십리(可八十里)오 횡위오십리(橫爲五十里)라. 사위초벽(四圍壁)에 중유거산(中有巨山)하야 자북지남(自北止南)하고 간유대천(間有大川)하야 탐광(深廣)이 기용주즙(幾容舟楫)하고 기토(其土)가 옥유(沃)하고 기민(其民)이 질야(質野)하야 자수십년래(自數十年來)로 민축(民蓄)이 번식(蕃殖)하야 호수(戶數)가 위사백여가(爲四百餘家)오 간전(墾田)이 위만여두락(爲萬餘斗落)이라. 거민(居民)의 일년농작(一年農作) 담포수효(擔包數爻)가 저위이만여포(藷爲二萬餘包)오 대맥(大麥)이 위이만여포(爲二萬餘包)오 황두위일만여포(黃豆爲一萬餘包)오 소맥(小麥)이 위오천포(爲五千包)라 오니 대률(大率) 호수(戶數)와 전수(田數)와 곡수(穀數)를 육처(陸處) 산군(山郡)에 교계(較計)오면 수혹불급(數或不及)이오나 불심상좌(不甚相左)　더러 만근(挽近) 외국인(外國人)이 도래교역(徒來交易)하야 교제상(交際上)도 역유(亦有)하온지라, 도감(島監)이라 칭호(稱號)하오미 행정상(行政上)에 과유방애(果有妨碍)기로 울릉도(鬱陵島)를 울도(鬱島)라 개칭(改稱)하고 도감(島監)을 군수(郡守)로 개정(改正)하타당(妥當)기 이에(此段)　칙령안(勅令案)을 회의(會議)에 제정사(提呈事)

광무사년(光武四年) 십월이십이일(十月二十二日)

의정부찬정내부대신(議政府贊政內部大臣) 이건하(李乾夏)

의정부의정(議政府議政) 윤용선각하(尹容善閣下) 사조(査照)

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鬱陵島を鬱島と改称し、島監を郡守と改正することに関する請議書

　　右該島は東溟に特立し大陸から遠隔であるが、開国５０４年に島監を設置して島民を保護し事務を管掌させており、島監裵季周の報牒と本部視察官禹用鼎、東萊稅務司の視察錄を參互節査したところ、該島地方は縦が八十里ほど、橫は五十里という。
　四圍壁の中に巨山があって北より南に至る。その間に大川あり、広さ深さは舟を幾つか容れることができ、その土は肥沃で民は素朴であり、この数十年、人口は蕃殖し、戸数は四百余戸あり、墾田は万余斗落ある。
　　居民の農作一年の収量は、藷二万余包、大麦二万余包、 黃豆一万余包、小麦五千包という。大まかに戸数、田数と穀数を陸地の山郡と比較すれば、数は及ばないが甚しく劣るものでもない。
　　最近、外国人が来て交易し、交際上のことも有り、島監と称するのでは行政上の障害もあるため、鬱陵島を鬱島と改称し島監を郡守に改正するのが妥当であるので、この段、勅令案を会議に提出する。

光武四年十月二十二日

　　　　　議政府賛政內部大臣　李乾夏

議政府議政　尹容善　閣下　査照

(chaamieyさんによる仮訳)

Three days later, based on this petition, Ulleungdo was promoted as Uldo County, one of the county of Gangwon Province by the Ordinance no. 41. This petition itself was made based on the inspection led by U Yong-jeong(禹用鼎) in June 1900, 4 month prior to the petition, while he didn't even hint about today's Takeshima in his report. From those Korean official documents, it is apparent that Seokdo(石島) in the ordinance is not today's Dokdo/Takeshima/Laincourt Rocks at all. There is absolutely no trace of today's Takeshima in those series of documents nor maps made by Korea.

In that sense, it is significant that皇 城新聞 reported that (the Korean Interior Ministry answered to Japanese Resident-General) "area under the authority of the Uldo County were sixty ris(24km) from east to west and forty ris(16km) from north to south for a total of 200 ri s(80km)", Because Ms. Yu had to make it clear how 禹用鼎, who was the official inspector from Interior Ministry, recognized the area of Uldo County, since 禹用鼎 was the one who inspected Ulleungdo in June 1900 and suggested that Ulleungdo to be promoted to the "Uludo County". The suggestion by 禹用鼎 actually lead to the promulgation of the Imperial Ordinance No.41.

However, the fact is, 禹用鼎's inspection area was limited to "the circumference of 140-150 ris(56-60km)", which is clearly Ulleungdo alone. This area clearly included Jukdo(竹島) and Sokdo(石島) as the petition by the Minister of Interior 李乾夏 stated as "The area of the island in concern(該島地方) should be 80 ris(32km) in length and 50 ris(20km) in the width.", the petiotion was submitted a day before the Imperial Ordinance was issued. Besides, the reason 禹用鼎 defined Ulleungdo as "the circumference of 140-150 ris(56-60km)" is that he followed the definition by Lee Gyu-won(李奎遠), who was sent to inspect on Ulleungdo in 1882 by the order of Kojong(高宗), that Ulleungdo is "the circumference of 140-150 ris(56-60km)." Their geographical recognition of Ulleungdo reflect on the map "欝陵島外図" by Lee, who was ordered to draw the precise map of Ulleungdo by Kojong. The map "欝陵島外図" depicted Jukdo(竹島, Japanese name 竹嶼) and Do-hang(島項), and it made the range of Ulluengdo, which is supposed to be "the circumference of 140-150 ris(56-60km)" clear. (10th column of Prof. Shimojo Masao)

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This is strongly supported by the petition which was submitted by 李乾夏, a Minister of Internal Affairs of Korea, 3 days before the Ordinance NO.41 was promulgated. Since it specified Ullengdo, which later became Uldo County, has "80 ri(32km) in length and 50 ri(20km) in width" and its special products are "potatoes, barley, soybeans and wheat." In those years, major industries on Ulleungdo were agriculture and fishery were extremely as minor as harvesting seaweeds around on the shore around Ulleungdo. This is also proved by the report of inspector U Yong-jeong(禹用鼎) in June 1900, which lead Ulleungdo promoted as one of the county of Gangwon Province 4 months later. In his report "Uldo-gi(鬱島記)", U wrote that "its agricultural products were barleys, wheats, soy beans and sweet potatoes." and "fisheries were mainly harvesting seaweeds." As we can clearly see from this, on Ulleungdo in 1900, agriculture was the residents' legitimate occupation, while fishery were only for harvesting seaweeds. Islanders on Ulleungdo only started to voyage to Takeshima/Dokdo when they were hired by Japanese fishermen who began hunting sealions in earnest on Takeshima/Dokdo, which was 4 years after the Imperial Ordinance were promulgated.

Moreover, the area which U inspected was limited to "the circumference 140-150 ris (56-60 km)(周廻一百四五十里)", which means the area was Ulleungdo alone and he didn't go to Takeshima/Dokdo at all. This is because, for Korean, the territorial sphere for Ulleungdo were already established as InspectorLee Gyu-won(李奎遠), who inspected Ulleungdo in 1883, had already wrote that Ulleungdo has "the circumference 140-150 ris (56-60 km)(周廻一百四五十里)". Then Lee defined neighboring islands of Ulleungdo as 竹島(Jukdo) and 島項( It was later changed to "鼠項島", whose pronunciation resembles to "Seokdo" very much. ) altogether and those two are small islands within 2km or so from Ullgungdo. ((16th column of Prof. Shimojo Masao))

If Korean really wants to claim this Seokdo(石島) was today's takeshima, she needs to prove their theory with concrete evidence based on first-hand historical source, not speculation.

Whatever the Seokdo in the Imperial Order no.41（大韓勅令第41号 ） was, it was absolutely not today's Takeshima/Dokdo/Liancourt Rock. That's for sure.



References;
The 10th column " A Blunder of Sokdo(石島) = Dokto(独島) Theory”

The 16th column ""Dokdo Month" without any historical grounds."

1882 April 7 - King Kojong says Usando Neighboring Island of Ulleungdo (高宗 19卷, 19年 4月 7日 壬戌)
1900 - Imperial Edict Makes Ulleungdo a County of Gangwon Province (大韓勅令第41号)
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
1906 - July - Korea Omits Dokdo from Uldo County (皇城新聞 「鬱島郡의 配置顛末」)
Investigation of Japanese maps during Meiji period before the incorporation of Liancourt rocks
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