Teaching East Asia: Korea Teaching East Asia: Korea | Page 74

Document J
Source: The Korean Herald and Hyun-Jin Park. Insight into Dokdo: Historical, Political and Legal Per-
spectives on Korea’s Sovereignty. Pages 70-71. Jimoondang Publishers, Seoul, Korea, 2009.
“In February 1904 when the Russo-Japanese War started, Japan planned to construct a watchtower
on Dokdo to keep an eye on the movement of the Russian Vladivostok fleet that began to harass
Japanese transports. It was in February 1905 that Japan attempted to seize Dokdo clandestinely,
keeping it from the knowledge of the Korean government and people. Japan simply ignored the
fact that Dokdo had been an inherent part of Korean territory ever since 512 A.D. , claiming it as a
terra nullius, and annexed the island into its territory of Shimane Prefecture. In August 1945 when
Korea was freed from Japanese occupation, the Supreme allied Powers GHQ issued SCAPIN No.
677 for Governmental and Administrative Separation of Certain Outlying Areas from Japan and
restored Dokdo to Korea on January 29, 1946. ”
Document K
Source: Los Angeles Times. “South Koreans rethink aid to earthquake-stricken Japan,”
April 26, 2011.
“South Korea was the first country to send a rescue team to the disaster area. The Korean Red
Cross had raised $40 million, one of the largest non-governmental contributions to Japan after the
earthquake….Then came a pair of thunderbolts out of Tokyo: On April 1, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs related its Diplomatic Bluebook 2011 detailing developments in Japan’s foreign relations
– a release that came just two days after the central government approved new school textbook
content. Both reiterated Japan’s claims to the disputed Dokdo/Takeshima islands.”
Document L
Source: Photograph of the Peace Girl Statue. koreatimesus.com 2014.
A new controversial statue brought friction over World War II comfort women to Glendale,
California. A statue of one of the Korean “comfort women” who were forced into sexual slavery by
Japan during World War II sits in front of a library in Glendale, California.
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