Enrichment: Dokdo and the East Sea
There are many instances in which both Dokdo and the East Sea are improperly identified. Dokdo is labeled as “Liancourt Rocks” or ”Takeshima,” and the “East Sea” is labeled as “Sea of Japan” in several world maps.
Western maps from the mid-seventeenth century present the names “East Sea” or “Sea of Korea.” Since the mid-nineteenth century, “Sea of Japan” appears more frequently reflecting Japan’s growing influence in the international community. This is the reason why the map published by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) in 1929 has the name “Sea of Japan.”
Recently, efforts are being made to properly identify the names in maps and Internet publications.
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Summary
1. Dokdo is named Usando in maps from the early Joseon period.
2. Maps from the late Joseon period have Dokdo (Usando) appropriately located east of Ulleungdo.
3. Western maps from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries show Dokdo as Korean territory.