- Dokdo in the East Sea
- Dokdo in History
- Dokdo is Korean Territory
Dokdo in the East Sea
Table of Contents Open Contents
- Dokdo is Korean Territory
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Ⅰ. Roots of Territorial Claims to Dokdo
- 1. Korean Territorial Claims Proven by Japanese Historical Sources
- 2. Korean Territorial Claims Proven by Korean Historical Sources
- 3. The Japanese government’s claim that it established territorial rights over Dokdo in the mid-seventeenth century is a fabrication.
- 4. The Highest Decision-making Office in Japan’s Meiji Government Decides that Dokdo and Ulleung are Part of Korean Territory
- Ⅱ. On the declaration of territorial rights over Dokdo by the Korean government and the illegality of the island’s annexation in 1905 to Shimane Prefecture
- Ⅲ. Korea’s Territorial Rights to Dokdo Seen from Measures Taken by the Allied Powers after World War II
- Ⅳ. Korea’s Territorial Claims on Dokdo after the San Francisco Peace Treaty
- Ⅴ. Korea’s Territorial Rights over Dokdo Seen from International Law
1. Dokdo Becomes an Aerial Bombing Range for the United States Air Force at the Urging of the Japanese Government
Dong-A Ilbo newspaper report on June 18, 1948, regarding United States Air Force bombing of DokdoCiting a Tokyo-originated United Press news agency story, the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper reported that the incident involving a fishing boat destroyed by stray bombs was indeed due to an aerial bombing exercise by the United States Air Force.
Despite the fact that Korean fishermen working in waters off Dokdo in 1948 were injured by bombings on several occasions, the Japanese government did not cancel the designation as an American aerial bombing site. The repeated bombings of Dokdo by the United States Air Force were induced by the Japanese government, which is proven in remarks by a member of the Japanese Diet. Representative Yamamoto (Shimane Prefecture) confirmed in testimony on May 23, 1952, in the House of Representatives foreign affairs committee in questions to the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Ishihara that the Japanese government had been actively involved in designating Dokdo as an aerial bombing range for the United States Air Force. The United States Air Force took Dokdo as a bombing range without full knowledge of the island’s background as the islet was intentionally offered by the Japanese government. The fact that the Japanese government provided the island as a bombing site knowing that it was frequented by Korean fishermen was no doubt a callous act that disregarded the value of human lives.
