Archaic British Gazette Undermines Japan's Claim to 'East Sea'

      August 08, 2011 10:54

      The body of water east of Korea was described as the "Sea of Corea" in a world gazetteer published in the U.K. in the mid-18th century, it emerged for the first time. This gives more international credibility to the neutral name that Korea demands the area be recognized by, the "East Sea," while diminishing Japan's claim that the "Sea of Japan" is the only acceptable reference.

      The East Sea was described as the "Sea of Corea" in a map of the world published by "The Universal Gazetteer," which was first released in London in 1760. In a separate chapter that introduces the major seas and gulfs of Asia, the gazetteer specifies that the "Corean Sea" lies between "Corea" and the Japanese islands.

      The 530-page gazetteer, which includes seven maps of the world, accurately describes Korea's geographical location. It states that the country lies at between 35 degrees and 43 degrees north latitude, and between 126 degrees and 136 degrees east longitude.

      "In the past, some ancient Western maps were found to designate the body of the water as the 'Corean Sea' or the 'East Sea,'" said Prof. Kim Shin of Kyunghee University.

      "But this was the first time we have found the authoritative Universal Gazetteer of the U.K. to give the East Sea a clear geographic designation as the Corean Sea while displaying its exact location."

      Chang Dong-hee, who works as an ambassador for international geographical nomenclature, said, "This gazetteer carries significance because it backs up the legitimacy of the 'East Sea' name, as the body of water was described as the 'Corean Sea' in most documents published before the 19th century."

      The archaic document will be made public at an exhibition at the National Library of Korea from Aug. 10-17. It will feature alongside 100 ancient maps and books that also support the East Sea designation, including the first edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica published in Scotland in 1768.

      The archaic encyclopedia has been considered a trustworthy trove of knowledge in Western society since around the time of Britain's industrial revolution. It also describes the East Sea as the "Sea of Corea."

      UN Heavyweight Calls on Japan to Face Up to Sexual Slavery
      Japan Lobbies Against Use of 'East Sea' Name
      U.S. Senators to Pressure Japan Over Sex Slaves
      New York Lawmakers Push for Use of 'East Sea' Name
      Japan Spends Big to Lobby U.S. Lawmakers
      'East Sea' Bill Scrapes Through Virginia House Subcommittee
      Virginia Senate Approves Use of Both Names for East Sea
      U.S. County Adopts New Teaching Policy on East Sea
      Pentagon Upsets Patriots by Mislabeling Maps
      U.S. Declines to Adopt 'East Sea' Name
      IHO Puts Off East Sea Decision Until 2017
      Japan Fails in East Sea Bid at IHO
      IHO Bogged Down Over East Sea Name
      83,000 Sign East Sea Petition on White House Website
      'East Sea' Spat Moves to White House Website
      Korea Faces Failure Over Naming of East Sea
      French Encyclopedia Publisher Adopts 'East Sea' Denomination
      Now 'East Sea' Has Sunk, Can 'Sea of Korea' Swim?
      Korea Dropped the Ball Over Int'l Naming of East Sea
      U.S. Backs 'Sea of Japan' for East Sea
      Korea Presses Maritime Body Over Naming of East Sea
      'East Sea' Name Gains International Traction
      Korea, U.S. to Use 'Neutral' Expression for East Sea
      'Cyber Diplomats' Mark 10 Years of Campaigning for Korea
      More Maps Weaken Japan's Claim to Dokdo
      Int'l Call to Use Both 'East Sea' and 'Sea of Japan'
      Seoul Blasts Tokyo Over Latest Dokdo Islets Claim
      Board Showing Dokdo as Korean Territory Found in Japan
      New York Senate Approves 'East Sea' Name
      U.S. Lawmaker Urges Resolution of Sex Slavery Issue
      Students Embark on Global Run to Promote Dokdo Issue
      • Copyright © Chosunilbo & Chosun.com
      Previous Next
      All Headlines Back to Top