Zone #3
An Yong-bok and the Ulleungdo Dispute
Visitors can learn about the dispute over Ulleungdo triggered by An Yong-bok’s venture to Japan, and how Joseon established its sovereignty over Ulleungdo and Dokdo Islands.
- An Yong-bok’s visits to Japan on two occasions caused the territorial disputes over Ulleungdo and Dokdo between Joseon and Japan. Later, this was termed the “Ulleungdo Dispute.” In this process, Japan forbade illegal encroachment of Ulleungdo and Dokdo by its citizens. It also recognized that these two Islands were the sovereign territory of Joseon, and prohibited its ships from navigating the waters of Ulleungdo and Dokdo.
- Volume no. 30 of the Annals of King Sukjong contains a statement describing the circumstances under which An Yong-bok was taken to Japan from Ulleungdo, a statement from the Edo Shogunate that Ulleungdo and Dokdo are indeed Joseon’s territory, and a description of the Ulleungdo Dispute. An Yong-bok’s arduous journey to Japan was recorded not only in Joseon, but also in Japan at the time. The “Kenrokgu Byeongjanyeon Joseonjuchak Ilgwon Jigakseo” (second public statement of An Yong Bok’s migration to Japan) was published in 2005 by the Murakami family in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. The statement records the investigation of An Yong-bok by an official of Oki Island when An arrived on the Island in 1696.
- In the document, An Yong-bok pulled out a map of the eight provinces of Joseon, and said that Ulleungdo and Dokdo belonged to the Province of Gangwon-do. After the Ulleungdo Dispute, the Edo Shogunate of Japan banned Japanese vessels sailing into the waters of Jukdo, and notified the Joseon Court of its ordinance. At the time, Ulleungdo was called Jukdo and Dokdo was called Songdo, so some could argue that this ordinance only prohibits Japanese vessels from traveling to Ulleungdo. However, historical documents owned by the Ooya clan of Japan, which frequently visited Ulleungdo Island, mention both Jukdo (Ulleungdo) and Songdo (Dokdo) as being off-limits to Japanese vessels. This indicates that the ordinance issued by the Edo Shogunate included a ban on both Ulleungdo and Dokdo Islands.
- An Yong-bok’s travels to Japan prompted the Ulleungdo Dispute, which was the first recorded territorial dispute between Joseon and Japan. By the end of the dispute, the Japanese government officially acknowledged the two islands as Joseon’s territory, stating, “To this date, Ulleungdo and Dokdo have never been Japanese territory,” and notified the Joseon Court of its disposition of the situation.
- After the Ulleungdo Dispute, the Edo Shogunate of Japan banned Japanese vessels sailing into the waters of Jukdo, and notified the Joseon Court of its ordinance. At the time, Ulleungdo was called Jukdo and Dokdo was called Songdo, so some could argue that this ordinance only prohibits Japanese vessels from traveling to Ulleungdo. However, historical documents owned by the Ooya family of Japan, which frequently visited Ulleungdo Island, mention both Jukdo (Ulleungdo) and Songdo (Dokdo). This indicates that the ordinance issued by the Edo Shogunate included a ban on both Ulleungdo and Dokdo Islands.
Zone #3
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