1902 - 大韓帝国内部 『鬱島郡節目』

1月4日、韓国のメディアは『鬱島郡節目』という文書を公開しました。

「独島：「鬱島郡」の行政指針、日本編入以前の支配立証」

…110年前に大韓帝国が独島（日本名・竹島）を実効支配していたことを示す証拠となり得る、当時の治安・行政に関する史料が初めて公開された。…（朝鮮日報日本語版朝鮮日報の日本語版2011年1月15日付記事）

報 道によると、1900年10月、大韓帝国は勅令41号を発布して鬱陵島を鬱島郡に昇格し、公式に領土に組み込むが、その1年半後の1902年4月、大韓帝 国内部（内務省）が鬱島郡行政指針となる「鬱島郡節目」（節目とはこの場合、規則の箇条や細目のこと。）を初代鬱島郡守の裵季周に出していたようで、内容 は、日本人の不法伐木を禁止すること、外国人への土地売買を禁止すること、その他に税金についての詳細が書かれています。

裵季周は1881年、鬱陵島最初の開拓者４人の一人（江原道の出身）（1902年 外務省通商局編纂「通商彙纂」 ）で、 1895年9月に島監に差定され、鬱陵島を管理。 当時鬱陵島の伐木権はロシアに譲渡されていたにも関わらず、日本人から伐木料を徴収して許可して利権を独占していたようで（『駐韓日本公使館記録』13 （515 p） 各領事館往復（１７））、1899年にはその支払いトラブルのため来日して松江の裁判所で勝訴しています。その後、1900年に初代郡守となりますが雑 報:「欝守新任」（1900年11月29日付「官報」）、罷免されたのか、1902年始め姜泳禹が郡守として在職しますが、直後の3月4日姜泳禹は免官さ れ、再度裵季周が郡主に叙任されます（雑報:「欝守新任」）。この節目は、その時期（1902年4月）から、裵季周が罷免されたことをきっかけに大韓帝国内部に働きかけた結果出されたものではないかと推察されます。

ところで韓国側は、この資料を「鬱陵島と独島（竹島）を実際に経営したことを立証する資料」と主張していますが、実際この内容を確認すると、竹島のことは全く触れられておらず、そうした主張が成り立たないことは明白です。

この頃すでに鬱陵島に移住した日本人は竹島へアワビ漁に出ていたことと、当時の鬱陵島在住の韓国人は（若芽採取のために全羅道沿岸の漁民が季節労働者としてやってくる以外に）漁業に従事する者が皆無であったことが記録され（1902年 外務省通商局編纂「通商彙纂」 ） ていることから、大韓帝国内部の印がある節目の中において竹島について何の言及もないことは、韓国側の主張とは裏腹に、むしろ当時の鬱島郡守裵季周（裵季 周）ひいては大韓帝国に、現竹島が韓国の領域内であったという認識がなかったことを傍証する資料であるといえるでしょう。

以下、公開された『鬱島郡節目』の全文と、matus氏によるその日本語訳を以下に示します。

『鬱島郡節目』

內閣總理大臣　尹容善 閣下

內部　

鬱島郡節目

本郡陞設 今旣兩年 全島庶務 尙多草創之中 數三悖民 興訛梗化 煽動居民 則不可不自本部 講究方略 確立郡規　故別成節目 以送 依此擧行 無或違越　島民中若有如前執迷 不遵令飭者 這這摘發卽速馳報 則當有別般嚴處矣　惕念擧行節目辭意 亦爲眞諺飜謄 揭付各洞 俾無一民不聞不知之弊事

一　日本潛越人等 偸斫木料 別般嚴禁事

一 　本島人民中 家屋田土 或有暗賣外國人者 當一律施行事

一 　本島開拓 尙未盡 懇爲念民人成家 姑未定稅 凡於島民耕食居生 若移居內陸 不得私相賣買 還爲官有事

一 　現存公廨 爲七間 則仍舊修葺 若果狹窄四五間 略加建築 俾無民弊事

一 　鄕長一員 書記一名 使令三名 姑先略施 以爲供役事

一 　郡守以下 鄕長書記使令 餼料不得不自郡 略略算定 而本島戶數 足爲五百戶 則每戶春等 麥三斗 秋等黃豆四斗式 收斂分排廩料事

一 　五百戶 每戶收麥爲三斗 則共計一千五百斗 凡石則爲一百石內 郡守一員廩況六十石 鄕長一員餼料十二石 書記一名十石 使令三名 每名六石式 合十八石 總計一百石 以爲定式事

一 　各道商船來泊本島 捕採魚藿人等處 每十分抽一 收稅 外他出入貨物 從價金 每百抽一 以補經費事

一 　官船一隻 不可不急先辦備 然後以便航路 而來往本部調査委員入島時 田士能李東信處 偸斫木料之屬公者 這這査徵 以爲購買船隻事

一 　未盡條件 自本郡爛商會議 更爲磨鍊事

後錄

香木 貳百斤 間一年 進上事

戶布錢 五百兩 每年輸納于度支部事

郡守 年俸及鄕長書記使令餼料 總算

郡守 春等麥六十石 秋等黃豆四十石 合一百石

鄕長 春等麥十二石 秋等黃豆十二石 合二十四石

書記一名 春等麥十石 秋等黃豆十二石 合二十二石

使令每名 春等麥六石 秋等黃豆十二石 三名合麥十八石 合黃豆三十六石　總計麥一百石 黃豆一百石

光武六年四月 日

內部

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

内閣総理大臣尹容善閣下

内部の鬱島郡節目

本 郡（鬱島郡）が昇格してすでに2年が過ぎたのに、全島の庶務がまだ草創のままであることが多い中、流言飛語を作り出し教化されない何人かの悖民たちが、民 衆を扇動するので、本部(内部)では方略を講じて郡の規律を確立せざるをえない。従って、別に節目を作って送るので、このまま行ない、破ってはいけない。 島民の中に、前のように戸惑って命令に従わない者がいれば、いちいち摘発して速やかに馳報せよ、然らば当然、別段の厳しい措置があるだろう。格別に留意し て挙行せよ。 節目の意味を諺文（ハングル）にも翻訳して各村に掲示し、一人たりとも聞いていない、知らないというような弊害をなくすこと。

一 　日本からやってきて木を密かに切っていく者を、特別に厳禁すること。

一 　本島の人民中に、家屋と田土を外国人に密かに売買する者があれば、当然のことに、一律(＝死刑)を施行すること。

一 　本島の開拓はまだ未尽であるから、島民が家庭を作ることを切実に望む、よって税金はまだ定めない。およそ島民たちは耕作をして生きていくのであるが、もし万一、内陸に移居するような場合には、私的な売買を出来なくして官有に返還するようにさせること。

一 　現在ある官庁の建物は、七間であればそのまま屋根を補修して使い、もし4～5間程度で狭ければ、若干の増建だけをして、民に迷惑をかけないこと。

一 　鄕長1人、書記1人、使令3人を先ず先に置き、仕事に供役させること。

一 　郡守以下、鄕長・書記・使令の給料は、郡で概略算定しなくてはいけない。鬱陵島の戸数が500戸になるならば、家ごとに春に出す税金は麦3斗、秋に出す税金は豆4斗ずつを納めさせ、給料として分け与えること。

一 　500戸が、戸ごとに麦3斗を収めるならば、全部で1500斗になる。 石にすれば、全部で100石以内だ。郡守一人の給料は60石、鄕長1人の給料は12石、書記一人は10石、使令3人は一人当り6石ずつで合わせて18石、合計100石を定式とすること

一 　各道の商船にして鬱陵島に来て漁労や採藿をする者には、一人当たりに10分の1税を納めさせ、外地に出入する貨物は、その値段により100分の1税を納めさせて経費に加えること。

一 　官船一隻を先に用意してこそ往来が楽になるが、以前、本部の調査委員が入島したときに（１９００年の禹用鼎の調査をさすか？）、田士能と李東信が盗んだ木を官衙に属させたことについては、きちんと調査・徴税して船隻の購買費用とすること。

一 　（このほかの）未尽の条件は、本郡で十分に相談してさらに整備すること

後禄

香木200斤を、1年おきに進上すること。

戸布銭500両は、毎年、度支部（＝大蔵省）に納入すること。

郡守の年俸、および鄕長・書記・使令の給料は、総算する。

郡守は、春には麦60石、秋には豆40石で、合計１００石。

鄕長は、春には麦12石、秋には豆12石で、合計24石。

書記1人は、春には麦10石、秋には豆12石で合計22石。

使令は、それぞれ春には麦6石、秋には豆12石、3人の合計が麦18石、豆36石で　総計麦100石、豆100石。

光武6年(1902年) 4月　

内部

1947 - Sep. 2 - Sok Ju-myong(石宙明)'s "History of Ulleungdo " says that Jukdo has been the eastern edge point of Joseon.

In Sep. 2nd article of Seoul Shinmun in 1947, Korean scientist Mr. Sok wrote a report about the history of Ulleungdo, where he just came back from. He and his colleagues went to Ulleungdo after Korean interim government heard that, on April 1947, some Japanese came to Takeshima and told the Korean poachers who were fishing on Takeshima without any permission nor fishing rights to stay away.

On receiving the news, Korean interim government asked Korea Alpine Association to send research group to Ulleungdo furtively to collect the evidences to show Takeshima/Dokdo was their territory. Some Korean officials accompanied them. It was the time of the origin of Korea's illegal occupation of Takeshima/Dokdo which Korea had any historical documents nor maps to support their claim that the island was theirs since 512 A.D. As Mr.Sok clearly wrote in his report, the eastern limit of Korea/Joseon have been Ulleungdo, more precisely, the island of Jukdo(竹島, Japanese name 竹嶼), not today's Takeshima/Dokdo. Traditionally/historically, Takeshima/Dokdo was outside of their territory apparently.

Indisputably, Ulleungdo(鬱陵島), which is one of Joseon's representative islands, had belong to our country Joseon, and it was known as Usando before, just as Jeju island was known as the country of Tamra(耽羅) in contrast. Usando had been called such as U-leung(羽陵)do, Mulleung(武陵)do, Ulleung(蔚陵)do or Ulleung(鬱陵)do afterwards. However, it seems that the etymologies are all the same. In 1471, the second year of King Seongjong, a retainer Park Wonjong(朴元宗) and his party once went to the island and had brought huge bamboos and abalones back, so the island of Ulleungdo got to be known as Jukdo(竹島) since the location was famous for production of the huge bamboos.

However, the name of the island was standardized as Ulleungdo now, and the name of Jukdo(竹島) was assigned to a adjacent island on East part, and this Jukdo had been the eastern edge point of our Joseon historically.

As we know, this Jukdo(竹島) shares same Chinese caracter with Japanese Takeshima(竹島), but they are completely different islands. Jukdo, which locates 2-4 km east of Ulleungdo, which is definately the island Mr. Sok mentioned in the report, was the adjacent island of Ulleungdo, was the easternmost of Korea. On the other hand, Takeshima, which locates 92km southeast of Ulleungdo, was Japanese territory since they incorportated it into Shimane prefecture officially in 1905.

Sok Ju-myong(石宙明) was a Korean butterfly specialist and he was a director of zoology division of National Science Museum. He was born in Pyongyang in 1908 and later, went to Ibusuki Experimental Botanical Garden(鹿児島高等農林学校) in Japan.

Although he accompanied the party as a member of the Korea Alpine Association in 1947 to collect the evidences to show Takeshima/Dokdo was Korea's territory, he missed the tour to Takeshima/Dokdo since he lost his way when he went to Saint Peak(聖人峯) and couldn't be on time. Maybe, that was the reason he honestly wrote the fact that Jukdo was the easternmost of Korea before he got to know Takeshima/Dokdo was not inside their territory, since he didn't know where today's Takeshima/Dokdo was in reality. In fact, he lost his integrity and distorted the historical fact of the Korea's eastern limit just a week after he wrote this report. On 9th Sep. article, he wrote "Dokdo is within our territory", to my surprise.

As we have seen so far, after 1947, Korean distorted the historical facts and build up their theory that Takeshima/Dokdo had been within their territory since 512 A.D., though there is absolutely no historical maps/documents to support their claim. The two articles Mr. Sok wrote in 1497 illustrates the origin of this Korea's fabrication on Takeshima/Dokdo claim and prove how they had distorted the historical fact of their own in order to expansion their territory militarily.

This post was written based on the excellent work of our commentator Chaamiey and Makoto. You can read the details in Japanese on chaamiey's site.

鬱陵島の沿革 ソウル新聞 1947
鬱陵島の沿革 ソウル新聞 1947（補充・再掲）

References;

「再説・石宙明(ソク・ジュミョング)」 SEOK D.M. (Sok Ju-myong) revisited(Japanese)
Korea's Post-Liberation View on Dokdo and Dokdo Policies (1945 - 1951). JUNG Byungjoon

Exhibition of "Dokdo" Maps & Docs in Busan

A special exhibition of "Dokdo" related antique maps and documents is being held at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO) from December 21 to 26. The exhibition will also include photographs and models of the island and the surrounding area. In all, more than 150 items will be on display.

Busan Exhibition and Convention Center

1895 - 紇法『士民必知』 (Knowledge Necessary for All) excluded Takeshima from the Country of Korea.

『士民必知』(1895) is the Chinese translation of Homer Hulbert's "Knowledge Necessary for All"(1889 or 1891-1895) by Baek Nam-gyu(白南奎) and Lee Myeong-sang(李明翔), and both of them are government officials of State Council of Joseon(議政府主事). It says "The easternmost of the Country of Korea is 131° E." , while Takeshima/Liancourt Rocks is at 131°52′ E. , 37°14′ N. in the section of 朝鮮(Korea). Moreover, it cleary states that the easternmost islands of Joseon is Ulleungdo.

朝鮮
　唐堯時有壇君始立国歴箕子或分或合今為
　本朝李氏自太祖至今凡五百四年
朝鮮国者幅圓自北緯線三十五度至四十三度自
東経線一百二十三度至一百三十一度南北三千
里東西六百里其界北満州東日本海南南海西渤
海地方十里者九千五百地形四面多山而東北有
白頭山最大為諸山之祖其水南有洛東江錦江西
有大同江西北有鴨緑江其港東北曰元山東南曰
釜山西南曰仁川其島南曰濟洲東曰鬱陵西南曰
江華...
----------------------------------------------
Joseon
King Dangun established the country during the time of the reign of the Chinese Emperor Yao. In its history, Gija sometimes splitted or merged the country into present. Current Dynasty is Lee and it is about 504 years from the first king, Taejong.

The Country of Korea lies from 35° N. to 43° N., and from 123° E. to 131° E. From south to north, it's 3000-ris and from east to west, it's 600-ris. The boundry of the country is Manchuria on the north, the Sea of Japan on the east, South Sea on the south and Balhae on the west. The area of the country is 9500(ris) and its topography is full of mountains. There is Baekdu Mountain, which is the biggest and the origin of all the mountains. As for the rivers, there are Nakdong River and Guem River on the south, Taedong River on the west and Yalu River on the north-east. The ports are Wonsan on the north-east, Pusan on the south-east and Incheon on the south-west. As for the islands, there is Jeju on the south and Ulleung on the east and Ganghwa on the south-west ..

Hulbert(紇法) wrote this geography textbook in Korean Hangul and "it became the first standard textbook in Korean in Korea used by all schools in Korea", while Joseon officials translated it into Chinese(!?) and published it. The book is about the world geography.

Homer B. Hulbert first stepped on Korean soil in 1886 as a teacher for Royal English School(育英公院), which was the first government school in western style. The school introduced western fields of learning in its instruction such as English language, history, natural sciences, geography and mathematics.

Hullbert discovered that the school needs a world geography, and in 1891 published a book entitled "Sa-Min Pil-Ji(Knowledge Necessary for All)", which served as a primer for geography, astronomy and introduction of social systems, industries of all the countries. This book became the first standard textbook in Korean in Korea used by all schools in Korea. (The Hulbert Memorial Society)

The last part of preface says that "大朝鮮開國五百四年乙未三月望議政府編史局主事金澤榮序" , meaning that Kim T'aek-yong, the historian and poet who worked for the division of history compilation of the State Council of Joseon, wrote this preface at the 504th year of the country of Great Joseon. According to Choson Shinbo(朝鮮新報), Kim was known for an anti-Japan activist and deplored to Japan, defected to China in 1908, and participated in the anti-Japanese movement. A lot of patriotism works were left.

As we have studied on this site, it is apparent that westerners like Hulbert who even defied Japan's control over Korea, as much as then Korean government, considered that the eastern most of Korea was Ulleungdo, not today's Takeshima/Liancourt Rocks.

The information of the book was originally introduced by GTOMR. Thank you.

References;
1884～1894 - Map of Ulleungdo (鬱陵島) & Usando (于山島) (it shows an island off the east shore of Ulleungdo (鬱陵島) labeled as "Udo" (于島))
1893 - "Yeoljae Chwalyo" (輿載撮要 - 여재촬요) - Map of Samcheok (三陟) and Ulleungdo (鬱陵島)　
1898 - Korean Map of Gangwondo & Ulleungdo （地圖 江原道 咸鏡道)
1899 - Korean Map: "Daehanjeondo" (大韓全圖) (玄采 大韓地誌)
1899 - "Takeshima in the Korean official map" by Funasugi Rikinobu (舩杉力修) - (5) 『大韓全図』(1899) , 『大韓輿地図』(1900 c.a.)
1899 - Sep 23 - "Hwangseong Sinmun" (皇城新聞) 1899 Sep 23: Ulleungdo Situation
1900 - "Uldo-gi" (鬱島記), by U Yong-jeong (禹用鼎)
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.
1900 - Imperial Edict Makes Ulleungdo a County of Gangwon Province (大韓勅令第41号)
1901 - "Daehanjiji" (大韓地誌) Map of Korea's Gangwon Province (玄采)
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」)
1906 - "Daehan Jiji" (大韓地誌) by Hyeon Chae (玄采)
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

1951 - August - Rusk's Letter -　(A letter to the Korean Ambassador from US Secretary of State Dean Rusk ) ( As regards the island of Dokdo, otherwise known as Takeshima or Liancourt Rocks, this normally uninhabited rock formation was according to our information never treated as part of Korea and, since about 1905, has been under the jurisdiction of the Oki Islands Branch Office of Shimane Prefecture of Japan. The island does not appear ever before to have been claimed by Korea. )

1953 - Jul 22 - US Doc. Reconfirms Dean Rusk Letter　(Memorandum by Mr. Robert A. Fearey of the Office of Northeast Asian Affairs） (With regard to the question of who has sovereignty over the Liancourt Rock (which are also known in Japanese as Takeshima, and in Korean as Dokdo), it may be of interest to recall that the United States position, contained in a note to the Republic of Korea's Ambassador date August 10, 1951 reads in part:

"....As regards the island of Dokdo, otherwise known as Takeshima or Liancourt Rocks, this normally uninhabited rock formation was according to our information never treated as part of Korea and, since about 1905, has been under the jurisdiction of the Oki Islands Branch Office of Shimane Prefecture of Japan. The island does not appear ever before to have been claimed by Korea......")

1954 - Report of Van Fleet mission to the Far East　(A secret report drafted by James Van Fleet, a US special mission ambassador, to U.S. President ) （the United States concluded that they remained under Japanese sovereignty and the Island was not included among the Islands that Japan released from its ownership under the Peace Treaty.）

Samcheok Museum Map dated 1884 - 1888?

The map shown below is an old, undated inspectors map of Ulleungdo that is on display at the Samcheok (三陟) Municipal Museum. It shows Ulleungdo with two neighboring islands labeled as "Big Udo" (大于島 - 대우도) and "Small Udo" (小于島), which represented Ulleungdo's neighboring islands of Jukdo (竹島 - 죽도) and Gwaneumdo (觀音島 - 관음도), respectively. It also lists, on the map, the titles and numbers of people who were part of the inspection team during that particular inspection. The leader of the inspection team was listed by his title, "Yeongjang" (營將).

From 1884 to 1888, a Korean official with the title of "Samcheok Yeongjang" (三陟營將 - 삼척영장) was charged with inspecting Ulleungdo. The fact that the map below lists the leader of the inspection team as "Yeongjang" (營將) and that it is, in fact, displayed in the "Samcheok" museum suggest the map was made sometime between 1884 and 1888.

Another reason I believe the map was made between 1884 and 1888 is that it showed and named Ulleungdo's two neighboring islands, which was done on only two other old Korean maps. One of the other maps was Inspector Lee Gyu-won's 1882 map of Ulleungdo. I believe that the map below was made after 1882 since it seems to have adopted Inspector Lee's new concept of viewing Gwaneumdo (觀音島 - 관음도) as an island rather than as a promontory.



The above map can be found on Tanaka Kinitaka's Web site at the following address:

http://www.tanaka-kunitaka.net/takeshima/samcheok/

1893 Map of Samcheok (三陟) and Ulleungdo (鬱陵島)

Below is a map of Samcheok (三陟 - 삼척) and Ulleungdo (鬱陵島 - 울릉도), from the 1893 atlas "Yeoljae Chwalyo" (輿載撮要 - 여재촬요). The map shows that Ulleungdo was associated with Samcheok in 1893. The map also shows a single island off Ulleungdo's east shore labelled Usan (于山). Usan was the old Korean name for Ulleungdo's neighboring island of Jukdo (竹島), which is 2 kilometers off Ulleungdo's east shore.

The map is important because it shows that Ulleungdo's neighboring island of Jukdo was still being referred to as Usando in 1893, ten years after Ulleungdo was opened to settlement.



Below is a similar map, which was made sometime between 1888 and 1894.



Thanks, GTOMR, for telling me about the 1893 map.

Joseon Paldo Jido (朝鮮八道地圖) - Ulleungdo (鬱陵島)

The following is a map of Ulleungdo, from a book entitled "Joseon Paldo Jido (朝鮮八道地). It is a cutout from a map of Pyongando (平安道), Hwanghaedo (黃海道), and Gangwondo (江原道). As far as I know, the date of the map is unknown. The map is stored in the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies at Seoul National University.

Notice that it shows a small island just off the east shore of Ulleungdo labelled 于山 (Usan). Today, Koreans call the island Jukdo (竹島 - 죽도), which is about two kilometers off Ulleungdo's northeast shore. Some Koreans claim that Usan was the old Korean name for Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo / Takeshima), but there is no Korean map or documentary evidence to support the claim.



Let me know if this map has already been posted here.

1950 -中央人民政府人民革命軍事委員会作戦部測絵局 『朝鲜地图』 - People's Republic of China excluded Takeshima/Dokdo from " Map of Korea"

It looks like 中華人民共和国 (People's Republic of China) considered Ulleungdo is the easternmost of Korea.


1950 Sep. 朝鲜地图　中央人民政府人民革命軍事委員会作戦部測絵局　新華書店


1950 朝鮮民主主義人民共和国新地圖 中国史地学社刘思源、董石声编制，金擎宇校订


1950 Jul. 28　最新朝鲜形势地图　上海 百新书店 新文化书社 锦章书局 联合出　编绘者 杨景雄

Thanks for the information, GTOMR !!

Are Koreans still interested in "Dokdo"?

In August 2009, the hit counter for this site showed more than 1.1 million hits, most of which were probably from Koreans coming to this site to vote in an online survey asking if Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima/Dokdo) belonged to Korea or Japan.

Before 2009, there was a great deal of Korean media and public interest in the Takeshima/Dokdo dispute, with almost weekly reports on Korean "Dokdo" protests or on some "newly discovered" map supposedly "proving" Korean claims, but that all but ended in 2009. Now the Korean media and Dokdo advocates have pretty much gone silent on Dokdo. Why? And what has happened over the past year?

Sometime in September 2009, our hit counter mysteriously reset itself from about 1.1 million hits to about 12,000. Today, our hit counter shows over 100,800 hits, which means that over the past year, this site has had about 88,000 hits. That averages out to about 240 hits a day for the past year, which is a pretty respectable hit count. Therefore, there still seems to be some interest in the Takeshima/Dokdo dispute, but it seems to be silent interest on Korea's part. Koreans and their Dokdo advocates no longer come to this site to argue Korea's silly claims. Why? Probably because they no longer believe them, though they will probably never admit it.

I think the Korean media and Korea's Dokdo advocates have gone silence on "Dokdo" because they and the Korean government finally came to realize that making "Dokdo" an issue was hurting Korea more than helping her. Thanks to this site and others, Korean historical claims on Dokdo have been shown to be false by using Korea's own documents and maps. Few Koreans are still arguing Korea's wild Dokdo claims because evidence disproving such claims is now scattered all over the Internet.

Japan may never get back the islands that Korea illegally occupied in the 1950s, but, at least, the world is slowly coming to realize the truth about Korea's false historical claims.

1893 - Lanier "L'Asie" excluded Takeshima/Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo) from Korean territory

This French book of Geography "L'Asie, choix de lectures de géographie-Deuxième Partie" was written by Lanier, Lucien (1848-1908) in 1893. (There are more editions as 1892, 1908 on Google books.)

The description of the Korean geography only describes "Korean peninsula", but the description of the "islets", as shown below, included Dagelet/Ulleungdo/Matsushima, but not "Liancourt Rocks" which was found and named by French in 1949. However, the map attached to the book clearly excluded Liancourt Rocks from Korean territory. Apparently, the author Lanier considered Liancourt Rocks is not Korean territory.

La Corée.

I. Geographie Physique
Limites; situation; étendue. -La presqu'île de Corée...Elle est comprise entre 34°20′et 42°30′de latitude nord, entre 122°15′et 127°14′longitude est. ...
( 127°14’ E+ 2°20’(Eastern longitude of Paris) = 129°34’E （Greenwich Meridian))

Littoral; îles
...Telle est L'île. Matsou-Sima ou Ollouto, que La Perouse découvrit en 1787 et appela Dagelet, haute de 1219 mètres, et couverte de forèts utilisées par les Japonais pour la construction de leur établissment de Gensanshin, dans la baies Broughton; telle aussi, ...

The Volume I of the book is available on Google Books. "L'Asie: Choix de lectures de geographie, accompagnées de résumés, ..."

References;

1846 - French map of Korea (Coree)

1855 - French map of Korea (Coree)

1865 c - French map of Korea ( Corée)
1874 - "Histoire de L'Eglise de Corée" by Claude Charles Dallet

1890 - Carte de Coree
1894 - French map of Korea and Japan (Is. Liancourt ou Hornet (Jap))
1894 - Carte De La Coree from "Le Petit Journal"
1894 - Jpn Gazetteer: Usando "in the vicinity of Ulleungdo" (于山島：蔚陵島ノ近傍) (三橋僊史著『朝鮮地名案内』)