Tok-Do Island, disputed area between
Japan and South Korea
by Wolfgang Schippke, DC3MF (27.March
1997)
The
Tok-Do Islands seen from north-east, Seo-Do in front
The Tok-Do Islands, nothing more than a
group of some rocks, are located about 215 km off South Korea and about
91 km off from Ulnung-do Island, and are an administative part of that
island. The exact position is given with 37°14'45"N and 131°52'30"E.
The group of two larger rocks and several smaller one, are heavy disputed
between Japan and South Korea. The main reason are the fishing rights in
this area.
The Tok-Do Islands are composited of limestone, errupted from the deep
of the sea, millions of years ago. The today seen group contains of the
West Island, also know as Seo-Do, and the East Islet, known as Tong-Do. Tong-Do Islet is a steep-sided rock 100 m high, and Seo-Do
is cliffy and rises to 174 meters. Both rocks, about 200 meters distant,
are the remainds of an ancident crater, brocken in several parts. At the
south-east side of Tok-Do, there are several deep caves formed by the erosion
from the sea.
Tok-Do Islands are a special refuge for several rare birds, and several,
partly endemic plants. In one of the last scientific expeditions to the
rocks in 1984, there were found about 22 species of nesting birds and about
50 species of plants, of which 21 species are endemic. There are only small
plants, mostly low plants, grass and several species of moose. The waters
round the islands are rich in fish, one of the dispute between Japan and
South Korea. History: The Tok-Do Rocks were first maped and described in the
early 13th century, and were administrated by the Silla Dynasty. Documents
from this time show that the rocks seams to be known round 512 and named
as U'san-Do. Close later Yi Sa-Bu mapped them and take them to Ulnung-Do
Administration. One of the first disputes round the island is sayed to
take place in 1592, when some Japanese sailors want to claimb the rocks,
but were fighted away by a Korean gun-boat. In 1705 the French navigator
and scientific G.Drill visited the islands and declared, that, after studying
all papers, the islands are a part of Korea. The first scientific expedition
was made in 1791 by the British Captain James Collet, who landed as on
the East, as on the West Islet. In 1876 the Tok-Do Islands were mapped
as a part of Japan, by an unknown British sailor, living in Tokyo. In 1905
Japan set his banner on the rocks, and annexed them. In 1945 the UN declared
Tok-Do as not a part of Japan (Resolution SCAPIN 677), and Japan had to
return them to Korea. In 1954 South Korea built up a concrete lighthouse
and a concrete building with a helicopter landing opn the East Islet. Between
1949 till today Japan declared several times that Tok-Do, named in Japan
as Take Shima, are a part of Japan and South Korea protested against this
act of territorial claim. In 1990 as the P.R.C. and also North-Korea declared
Tok-Do as a territory.
The
Tok-Do Islands seen from north-east, Seo-Do in front