The Liancourt Rocks dispute, also called the Dokdo dispute or the Takeshima dispute, is a territorial dispute between South Korea, Japan, and North KoreaThe official Dokdo site by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Korea The official video and a few promotional materials in many languagesThe official Dokdo site by Gyeonsangbuk-do Province of Republic of Korea Official videos and a few more promotional materials in many languages.Dokdo in the East Sea Detailed consideration, old maps and other resources on Dokdo Historical Issues by Northeast Asian History Foundation, in 4 languagesThe Issue of Takeshima The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan regarding sovereignty over the Liancourt Rocks, a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan. The rocks are also known in Korea as Dokdo () and in Japan as . North Korea also formerly claimed sovereignty of the islands, but had never pursued its claim to the same extent as the others; it has, since 2024, removed its claims on the islands, as well as the rest of South Korea, following the country's abandoning of all goals of reunification and adoption of the "Two hostile states theory" policy.
The Liancourt Rocks have been administered by South Korea since 1952 by the Korea Coast Guard. This was after the United States said in the Rusk documents that the Japanese claim to the Liancourt Rocks would not be renounced in Japan's post-World-War-II peace treaty. In 1954, Japan proposed a referral to the International Court of Justice. It was rejected by South Korea, which believes the Liancourt Rocks are irrefutably South Korean territory, and the dispute should not be dealt with through diplomatic negotiations or judicial settlement between South Korea and Japan.Questions and Answers on Dokdo, Q14 in the official Dokdo Site by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Korea
There are conflicting interpretations about the historical state of sovereignty over the islets. Korean claims are partly based on references to a Korean island called Usan-do in various historical records, maps and encyclopedias such as the Samguk Sagi, Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam (), and Dongguk munheon bigo (). According to the Korean view, these are the Liancourt Rocks. Japanese researchers of these documents have said that the various references to Usan-do refer at different times to Jukdo, Ulleungdo, or a non-existent island between Ulleungdo and Korea. p. 4; Article 2, para. 2: "Such description... rather reminds us of Utsuryo Island." para. 3: "A study... criticizes... that Usan Island and Utsuryo Island are two names for one island." para. 4: "that island does not exist at all in reality". Researchers disagree on who first had administrative control over the islets due to ambiguities in early historical records and maps, owing partly to changes in the names of the islands in the area over the centuries.
History before 1800
The Three Kingdoms period Samguk sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) recorded that in 512, General Kim Isabu conquered Usan. Samguk sagi mentions that Usan had been an independent kingdom based on Ulleungdo. "十三年夏六月,于山國帰服,歳以士宜為貢于山國,在溟州正東海島,或名欝陵島,地方一百里,恃嶮不服,伊異斯夫,為何瑟羅州軍主,謂于山人愚悍難以威来,可以計服,乃多造木偶師子,分載戦船,抵其国海岸誑告白,汝若不服,則放此猛獣,踏殺之,國人恐懼則降." The character "do" (島) refers to island, whereas "guk" (國) refers to state/nation. See 三国史記「干山国帰服す」画像 . 三国史記-卷四·新羅本紀·智証麻立干 智証王13年(512年)夏6月条
Based on the story of Usan, contemporary chroniclers believed Usando to be the same island as Ulleungdo.Kazuo Hori. "Japan's Incorporation of Takeshima into Its Territory in 1905". Korea Observer. Autumn 1997. p. 480
Joseon and Edo period The Taejong-Sillok (태종실록, Annals of King Taejong) recorded that "60 people were living on Usangukdo. According to a 1417 government report, there were 86 Usando inhabitants as of 1412." "命議政府議處流山國島人江原道觀察使報云流山國島人白加勿等十二名來泊高城於羅津言曰予等生長武陵其島内人戸十一男女共六十餘今移居本島是島自東至西自南至北皆二息周回八息無牛馬水田唯種豆一斗出二十石或三十石麥一石出五十餘石竹如大椽海錯果木皆在焉竊慮此人等逃還姑分置于通州高城扞城" See 架空の「流山国島」が記された太宗実録12年4月巳巳条の原文画像
The 1417 report is as follows:太宗 33卷17年2月 5日 "按撫使金麟雨、還自于山島、献土産大竹・水牛皮・生苧・綿子・検撲（木業）木等物、且率居人三名、以来、其島戸凡十五口男女併八十六、麟雨之往還也、再逢風具風、僅得其生
Korean scholars argue that Usando was the Liancourt Rocks. Japanese scholars argue that Usando refers to either Ulleungdo or Jukdo.法学研究論集(studies in law) 第6号 濱田太郎(Ph.D. Hamada) p297 "「于山島」には人が居住し、竹などが産出されることなどが記されているが、竹島には人の居住に適さないし、樹木は生えない(It is recorded that persons live in Usan-do, and the bamboo etc. are yielded. But Liancourt Rocks is not suitable for the person's residence and the tree can't grow in the island)"
The Sejong-sillok (세종실록, "Chronicle of King Sejong", 1432) mentions Usando:世宗實錄地理志江原道三陟都護府蔚珍縣 "于山、武陵二島在縣正東海中。二島相去不遠, 風日淸明, 則可望見。", National Institute of Korean HistoryKorea.net (1999–2006).History of Dokdo . Retrieved January 9, 2006
South Korea claims that this constitutes clear evidence that Usando refers to the Liancourt Rocks, the only island visible from Ulleungdo only in clear weather. Japan claims that the latter part is to be interpreted as "come into view from mainland Korea," and that Usando is Jukdo, located two kilometers east of Ulleungdo. 朝鮮時代の地誌では、島嶼を記録する場合は、その海島を所管する群県の所在地からの方向と、陸地からの距離が明記される決まりになっていた。When the Korean topography records in the Joseon dynasty described islands, it was regulated to write the direction from the local government and the distance from the land. See . 竹島は日韓どちらのものか by Prof. Shimojyo. South Korea counters that Jukdo is only 2 kilometers apart from Ulleungdo and therefore is visible regardless of altitude or weather, as well as that the passage is written in the context of the two islands mutually, rather than in relation to the Korean mainland ("相去不遠", "相" meaning "mutually").
South Korea also refers to Ulleungdo sajuk (). This work was compiled by Korean government officer Jang Han-sang () in 1696 after the An Yong-bok incident under orders from the Joseon kingdom.
A later part of the work:登島山峰 審望彼國之域 則杳茫無眼杓之島 其遠近未知幾許
This evidence is used by South Korea to demonstrate that Koreans regarded this island to the south-east as under Korean control.
The Dongguk yeoji seungnam (동국여지승람, "Augmented Geography Survey of the Eastern Nation (Korea)", 1481) defining Korea's territory, said that "Usando and Ulleungdo are under the jurisdiction of Uljin-hyeon of Gangwon-do as an administrative unit." It also mentions that the tree and the beach could be clearly seen on a fine day.肅宗27巻,20年8月14日己酉 "本島峰巒樹木, 自陸地歴歴望見, 而凡其山川紆曲, 地形闊狭, 民居遺址, 土物所産, 倶載於我国《輿地勝覧》書, 歴代相伝, 事跡昭然", National Institute of Korean History. The 1531 revision of this book includes the Paldo chongdo ("Map of the Eight Provinces"), showing two separate islands of Usan-do and Ulleung-do in the middle of the Sea of Japan. Usando is drawn to the west of Ulleungdo, but there is no island to the west of Ulleungdo.
From the early fifteenth century to the aftermath of the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598), the Joseon court was unable and unwilling to maintain a civilian population on either Ulleungdo or Usando. According to the Taejong sillok ("Annals of King Taejong"), the mainland government forcibly evacuated the islands during Taejong's reign, in accordance with the "vacant island policy".太宗實錄 太宗33卷17年(1417)2月8日乙丑, National Institute of Korean History. Thus, the islets were only occasionally populated by permanent settlers up to the seventeenth century; a permanent population existed only on Ulleungdo. Following the war, the islands were completely vacated.
1677 report Takeshima tōkai yuraiki bassho hikae, written by Ōya Kyuemon, records that in 1618 the Tokugawa shogunate granted fishing rights to the Ōya and Murakawa families of Yonago, and in 1661 bestowed the feudal tenure of "Takeshima", then referred to as Ulleungdo. On the way to Ulleungdo, Japanese fishermen sometimes used the islands as an intermediate port of call. In 1677, a retainer by the name of Saito Hessen compiled the Onshu shicho goki ("Records on Observations in Oki Province"), a set of records based upon observations he had made under orders from the daimyō of Izumo (Unshū).
As this report was compiled from a Japanese geographical perspective, Japanese scholars argue that Matsushima (the closer island) refers to the Liancourt Rocks and Takeshima (the farther island) refers to Ulleungdo. Korean scholars argue that the grants were given to permit them to travel abroad, thus the fishing area was foreign territory. These grants led to a conflict with native settlers in Ulleungdo and were later revoked by the Kampaku of Japanese Tokugawa Shogunate in 1696.First Japanese Record on Tokdo from the First Written Records on Tokdo site maintained by Iwato Hashimori
1695 inquiry into Takeshima In 1695 the Shogunate inquired of the Tottori clan (Tottori Prefecture today) if Takeshima (Ulleungdo) and Matsushima (Liancourt Rocks) were part of either Inaba or Hōki Province, where the Oya and Murakawa of Yonago resided.竹嶋之書附 Question on Page 1, Reply on page 2.
The Shogunate inquired:
Since when has Takeshima become a part of either Inaba or Hōki? Was it before or after the year when your ancestor was given the two provinces [in 1632]? Are there any islands other than Takeshima that are within the jurisdiction of the two provinces?
The Tottori replied:
Takeshima does not belong to Inaba or Hōki. No other islands belong to the domain, including Takeshima and Matsushima.
1696 Murakami document
Korean historical sources state that the administrator of Tokugawa shogunate reaffirmed in January 1696 that Ulleungdo and Dokdo belonged to Korea, quoting An Yong-bok's testimony.Shin, Yong-Ha, in , says, "An Yong-bok's activity proved highly successful, because the lord of Tsushima sent Judge Tairano Naritsune to Korea in January 1697 to notify the Korean government of the Kanpaku's decision. By 1699, the diplomatic notes had been exchanged and all the formalities had been cleared to recognize Korea's title to Ullungdo and Dokdo.
After the An Yong-bok incident and the Kanpaku's reconfirmation of Korea's title to Ullungdo and Tokdo around the end of the 17th century, no documentary records of the period showed Japan's claim to these two islands." Naito Seichu (ないとう せいちゅう 內藤正中) raises doubts as to the accuracy of An's testimony regarding the Kanpaku document. He denies the existence of the Kanpaku document claimed by An. 'When An Yong-bok was transferred to Tottori, the feudal lord could not have met An because he had gone to Edo. There was initially no such document as given An stating Ulleungdo and Liancourt Rocks are Korean territory. On the contrary, An Yong-bok and Park Eo-Dun were forcefully taken because they had trespassed at Takeshima, considered Japanese territory. It is impossible that the Tottori hanshu could have issued papers stating territorial title to Koreans who had been arrested.' (Dokdo and Takeshima, pp. 101, 147)