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Another old Japanese map that clearly identifies the Dokdo islets as belonging to Korea has recently come to light. The map, shown to the Chosun Ilbo on Tuesday by Moh Gyung-guk, a Korean map collector, is named "Chosenkokuzu (Country Map of Korea)."
The printed map measuring 31.5 §¯ by 26.5 §¯ places the East at the top. It shows an island named "Jakreung" to the east of the Korean Peninsula and another island named "Jasando," or Jasan Island, north of Jakreung.
Lee Sang-tae, a professor of graduate studies at Korea International Culture University and expert on ancient maps, said the name ¡°Jakreung¡± is clearly a mis-spelling of ¡°Ulleung¡± -- a confusion between two similar-looking Chinese characters, íÉ(¡°jak¡±) and ê¦(¡°ul¡±). ¡°The name ¡®Jasan¡¯ was one of many nicknames of Dokdo including ¡®Usan Island¡¯ at the time,¡± he said.
Lee said Ahn Yong-bok, a civilian diplomat of the 1690s, the King Sukjong period of the Chosun Dynasty, also called Dokdo ¡°Jasando.¡± "As the Chosun people did not have accurate geographical knowledge about Dokdo, it was sometimes drawn west or north of Ulleung Island on the map," Lee added.
In the central fold of the map is a phrase that reads, "Ë°ûÂÓÞï½éÄ (Edodaisetsutyo)," which means it was part of an encyclopedic book published in Japan during the Edo Period (1603-1897). It carried information that was considered common knowledge in Japan at the time.
"The map was presumably printed in the 19th century. But given the rough and inaccurate delineation of contours, I believe the original copy was probably drawn in the 17th century. This proves that during that time, there was no doubt about Dokdo belonging to Korea."
There are now more than 10 ancient Japanese maps that describe Dokdo as Korean territory, including "Chosenkokuchirizu (Geological Map of Korea)" from 1592 and "Sangokusetsujozu (Map of Three Adjoining Countries)" from 1785.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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