1900 - Russian Ministry of Finance "Overview of Korea" - Korean easternmost is Ulleungdo(130°54′ E.) , not Liancourt Rocks

Russian official document wiped out "Takeshima/Liancourt Rocks(Olivutsa & Menelai)" from the map and described Korea's easternmost is Ulleungdo(130°54′ E.) , which excludes Liancourt Rocks from Korean territory.

In 1854, Russian frigate Paleada under the command of Admiral Evfimii Vacilevich Putiatin, was known to have surveyed the island and named it Olivutsa(Оливуца) & Menelai(Менелай), five years after French whaler Liancourt found Takeshima/Dokdo and named as Liancourt Rocks in 1849. "Map of Joseon's Eastern Seashore" by the Russian Navy Hydrographic Service in 1857 shows Russian had known accurate location and topography of the island.

Korean claim Russian nautical-chart in 1857 shows Russian considered Takeshima/Dokdo as Korean territory since it's title is "Map of Joseon's Eastern Seashore" and the island is included. However, nautical chart is a nautical chart, which are produced for the purpose of safety of vessels and ships, not for territorial determination. Moreover, map itself doesn't always show the territorial issue unless it has national border or any other indication.

In 1892 Russian book, as we have studied, Russian diplomat Podzhio highly likely considered "Olivutsa & Menelai(Liancourt Rocks)" DOES NOT belong to Choson. The map of Korea included Olivutsa(Оливуца) & Menelai(Менелай) as did before, but description of both eastern limit of Choson peninsula and Gangwon Province (江原道) of his book did not. This practically shows the fact that a single old map, such as "Map of Joseon's Eastern Seashore", without any clear indication of territorial jurisdiction, never "serve as crucial evidence to prove whether a territory belongs to a certain country and not another".

1892 - 　Podzhio "Overview Korea" - Russian Diplomat dropped Takeshima/Dokdo from Gangwon-do.

Finally , the Russian official book "ОПИСАНIЕ КОРЕИ (Overview of Korea)" finish this Korea's silly claim that "Russian considered Liancourt Rocks belong to Korea" off, since 1. The geography chapter clearly wrote "Korean easternmost is Ulleungdo at 130°54′ E." and 2. It's attached map even wiped Takeshima/Liancourt Rocks(Olivutsa & Menelai : 131°52′ E. , 37°14′ N.) off where it should be, along with north western part of mainland of Japan, from the map of Korea. Apparently, Russian government seems have officially concluded that Liancourt Rocks never belong to Korea (or possibly, it's " jurisdiction unknown : tella nullis"), after almost 43 years.

(note : Even Russian labeled Ulleungdo as "Matsushima", likewise other western countries, in both 1892 and 1900 map. Korean claim that Matsushima during Meiji era was an old name for today's Takeshima/Liancourt Rock, but in fact, they started to call Ulleungdo as Matsushima from early Meiji era. The ancient name Takeshima for Ulleungdo was used for the phantom island Argonaut mainly, but some still called Ulleungdo as Takeshima. So three names, Takeshima, Matsushima and Ulleungdo were used for Ulleungdo, especially in the early Meiji era. That was the reason both "Takeshima/Matsushima" or Takeshima and the other island(= Matsushima) was used for Ulleungdo in Japanese official record, which Korean mistakenly claim Japan gave Matsushima, the ancient name for Liancourt Rocks, to Choson, in 1870 and 1877, respectively. This confusion also caused some troubles in Japan, but the corresponding letters among Shimane prefecture, Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs clearly shows both "Takeshima/Matsushima" or Takeshima and the other island(= Matsushima) were not for today's Takeshima/Liancourt Rocks, but Ulleungdo solely. ) There is a Korean diplomatic document that shows even Joseon called Ulleungdo as Japan's "Matsushima"

On top of that, this book was translated into Japanese and published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce in 1905, then naturally, it is also highly likely that Japanese official knew Russia considered Liancourt Rocks doesn't belong to Korea. This Russia's conclusion coincides with other countries', including America, German, British, Japan and even Korea herself, as shown below, and represents the then global common wisdom since it was written based on more than 800 books, journals, maps and nautical charts etc. from all over the world as were listed in the 3rd volume of the book. So far, none of the maps and documents globally around the year 1900 we have studied as well suggest that Takeshima/Liancourt Rocks/Dokdo belong to Korea.

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/Liancourt Rocks between 1880-1905 : Ver.1

As the above post shows, there was no single country, including Korea herself, considered Takeshima/Liancourt Rocks/Hornet Island was Korea's. Japan didn't seize Ulleungdo even though they had every chance/reasons to do so and those documents and maps showed it could be Japan's territory. However, Japanese government didn't since they knew Matsushima (or Takeshima in ancient time) is Choson's Ulleungdo as 1877 and 1870 official documents concluded.

In conclusion, Japan's incorporation of Takeshima into Shimane in 1905 as tella nullis is fair and totally legitimate.

Volume I of "Opisanie Korei (ОПИСАНIЕ КОРЕИ)" is downloadable from this site. Click "free user" for free. The map attached to the third volume is copied from the National Diet Library of Japan.

"Opisanie Korei (ОПИСАНIЕ КОРЕИ)" showed above was provided by matsu. Thanks, as always.

Reference ;

1905 - The Translation of "Overview of Korea"（1900） by Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce of Japan (Japanese) (『韓国誌』日本農商務省)

"Matsushima in the old Korean diplomatic documents" (Japanese) ( 『旧韓国外交文書』にみる松島)

"The discovery of the sea-chart " (日本海沿岸海図（１８９７年英国製の複製）の発見　（平成１９年７月／島根県江津市和木公民館）)

1882 - Jan. 31 - "Another island" = Joseon's Ulleungdo, namely Takeshima/Matsushima (Japanese) (「竹島外一島之儀本邦関係無之について」再考−明治十四年大屋兼助外一名の「松島開拓願」を中心に−)

1877 - Argument about "another island": details of the compiled official documents (公文禄) of the Ministry of the Interior (太政官指令)

1883 - Mar. 1 - The island that Japan calls Matushima or Takeshima and Korea calls Ulleungdo (The Draft of Official Notice : 内達案)