※ Let’s examine the context of “The Imperial Ordinance No. 41 of the Great Han Empire.”[Teacher Notes]
There are lots of huge trees in Takeshima! How about if we build ships with these trees and fish around this area? Humph! I don’t think anyone lives on this island. Ha-ha! Relax and catch everything! Your Highness! Japanese fishermen are treating Ulleungdo and Dokdo as if they were in their backyard. How dare these fishermen disrespect our territory! Dispatch an official to Ulleungdo and Dokdo at once and report the findings to me! We will dispatch Inspector Woo Yong-jung to resolve this situation, Your Highness! Prohibition – Do not cut down trees to build ships - Ulleungdo goods are only to be transported by Ulleungdo ships October 25, 1900 Promote Ulleungdo to Uldo County and include Seokdo in its jurisdiction! Your Highness! We will carry out your orders at once.
1. Which islands do “Takeshima” and “Seokdo” refer to?[Answer]
① Takeshima-( )
② Seokdo-( )
Teacher Notes
“Critical Thinking” is presented as a comic strip to express “The Imperial Ordinance No. 41 of the Great Han Empire” in an amusing manner. The two scenes above are representations of the situation in Ulleungdo and Dokdo. Although not discussed in detail in the comic, documents from this time show that Japanese people had lived on Ulleungdo. The Japanese people on Ulleungdo harvested large trees on the island and shipped them to Japan. They also fished illegally around Ulleungdo and Dokdo.
Bae Gye-ju, the mayor of Ulleungdo, informed the Minister of Home Affairs Lee Gun-ha, about the situation on several occasions. Lee Gun-ha reported to Emperor Gojong and received permission to dispatch Woo Yong-jung to Ulleungdo as the Uldo Inspector.
Woo Yong-jung filed a detailed report about his discovery of “illegal residency” and “logging” by Japanese people on Ulleungdo before and after 1900. On June 1, 1900, Woo Yong-jung announced to the residents of Ulleungdo that he “had been dispatched to Ulleungdo as ordered by the Minister of Home Affairs.” In addition, he notified the residents of Ulleungdo to “abide by the government prohibition” on June 3, 1900.
Contents of the notice: 1) Prohibit logging and shipbuilding by Koreans and foreigners alike; 2) Prohibit unlawful agreements with Japanese for logging zelkova trees; 3) Purchase ships for shipping and trade; 4) Ulleungdo goods are only to be transported by Ulleungdo ships; and 5) Loading goods onto foreign ships will result in all goods being seized by Ulleungdo companies.
The Great Han Empire and the Japanese government continued to have conflicts over the islands. On October 25, 1900, the Great Han Empire issued “The Imperial Ordinance No. 41 of the Great Han Empire”and stated its intent to “rename Ulleungdo as Uldo and raise the position of mayor to governor.” Section 2 of “The Imperial Ordinance No. 41 of the Great Han Empire” stated that Uldo’s jurisdiction includes “the greater Ulleungdo and Jukdo and Seokdo.”
Each document is presented in the Main Body and distinguished by their sub-titles. Korea’s claims to Dokdo can be verified from the modern documents that are presented chronologically. On page 26, the claims of Korea and Japan to Dokdo can be compared side-by-side, and evidence of Japan’s illegal invasion is presented there.