YooNa+Cha

BEEF: Dispute Between Korea and Japan; Dokdo
As an ardent Korean, my beef is about the right of authority Korea has for its territories and how Japan is denying these inalienable rights of a country. The small islands located on the extreme east coast of South Korea known as Dokdo to Korea and Takeshima to Japan is being disputed upon. The discord between Korea and Japan regarding claim on Dokdo is not a recent issue; ever since 1905 when the Japanese government coerced Korea to give up Dokdo for the incorporation into the Shimane Prefecture, the title of ownership to Dokdo has been a great subject of dispute for both countries. Japan’s act on the incorporation of Dokdo was the beginning of the invasion of the Korean peninsula for military purposes, which went against the international law that stated ‘fair acquisition of land’.

The incorporation of Dokdo in 1905 is the evidence that the Japanese government is using to state that Dokdo belongs to Japan. However, Korea’s evidence extends even further back into history. During the Silla Dynasty in A.D. 512, the governor of ancient Silla conquered Usanguk, which composed of Ulleungdo and Dokdo. From then on, Dokdo has continued to be apart of the Korean peninsula. The primary document that even recognizes Dokdo is the Onshu shicho goki publicized in 1667. On the contrary to Japan’s obsessive attachment to Dokdo today, in this record, it clearly states that Japan did not consider Dokdo as their territory in the 17th century.

For various reasons, Japan has requested that Korea bring this dispute to the International Court of Justice. Korea and Japan both know that by bringing this issue to the ICJ, Japan will most likely be granted ownership of Dokdo because of its obviously stronger military power, and relationship with other countries. Also, since Dokdo is a part of Korea at the current moment, by bringing this issue to the ICJ, Japan will have only so much political and economical advantages while Korea only has all to lose. China also has recently stated its claims on the Senkaku Islands; however, Japan has not filed a request to take that issue to the ICJ. It is clear that Japan is trying to take advantage of their greater power in the international society at the moment. Further rash actions taken by the Japanese government is the middle school textbook issue. Within the last three months, Japan has announced its plan to include a new version of the middle school text books in which it would unquestionably state that Dokdo belongs to Japan.

I do not understand why Japan is even bothering to further disgrace its nation’s already bad name to its next door neighbor and the world for a down right outlandish declaration that will lead inevitably to a large or small war without solid back-up and logical reasoning. Both enemies and allies alike should head towards an international goal: peace. The Japanese government should stop glossing over factual evidence to fool its people and the world about the right of ownership to a territory so clearly not belonging to Japan.