Alas! It is an another unhappy day today(February 22, 2008) for us, Koreans, and all the other peace-loving peoples on this globe to hear of a stale event on so-called "Takeshima Day" in Japan. Because the Dokdo Islets("Takeshima" called by Japanese) belong to the Republic of Korea, historically, by international law and effective jurisdiction by the Republic of Korea over the Dokdo Islets on the basis of Cairo Declaration(December 1, 1943), Potsdam Proclamation (8)(July 26, 1945), SCAPIN No.677(January 29, 1946) in which, in particular, provided was the very sentence saying that "Japan is defined ... excluding Liancourt Rocks (Take Island)..." and which has never been cancelled nor revised, SanFransico Peace Treaty between the Allied Powers and Japan in 1951(Articles 2(a) and 19(d) and UN Charter(Article 107) as well as the result of negotiations between Japanese government and that of Korean Kingdom indicated in the Japanese Dai Jo Kan(太政官) official document dated March 29, 1877 saying that "Takeshima and one other island ...has nothing to do with Japan."

Nowadays, it may be a common sense that "Between independent States respect for territorial sovereignty is an essential foundation of international relations." In this light of view, how does the said event of the so-called "Takeshima Day" in Japan can be justified for respecting the territorial sovereignty over the Dokdo Islets which belong to her neighbouring State, the Republic of Korea? Such an event of the so-called "Takeshima Day" in Japan also can never be any benefit to Japan at all but deteriorating the existing friendly relations and mutual credence between Korean peoples and Japanese in future. Therefore, what a sad day it is today to meet such a stale event on so-called "Takeshima Day" based upon unjustified and aggressive By-Law of Shimaneken Prefecture Council for the establishment of so-called "Takeshima Day", deteriorating the existing friendship between Korea and Japan. To take an example of such an unfortunate case caused by the so-called "Takeshima Day", the friendly relationships which had been existed between Japanese Shimaneken Prefecture and Korean Kyungbuk Province was broken out immediately following the passing of the aforesaid By-Law to establish so-called "Takeshima Day" by Shimaneken Council in Japan on March 16, 2005.

For the improvement, therefore, of the relationships between Korean people and Japanese people, we firmly believe, there must be Japanese government's some prudence in taking proper actions on the aforesaid issues as follows:

1. Invalidation of the said By-Law of Shimaneken Prefecture for the establishment of the so-called "Takeshima Day".

2. Deletion of the sentence saying that "Japanese Takeshima has

been forcefully occupied by the Republic of Korea " shown in the Japanese Middle School Geography Text Book approved by Japanese government in a sneaky way in April 2002 amidst of the heating friendly circumstances celebrating 「2002 World Cup Socker Match 」 co-hosted by both the Republic of Korea and Japan, starting on May 31 of the year 2002.

3. Japanese economic power is known to be 2nd in the world

next to the United States. Her prudent international leadership corresponding to her economic power is, therefore,

expected by peoples of the globe for a more peaceful and

co-prosperous world. How can such an international prudent

leadership can be expected if Japanese government fails to conform to international standard of value in particular to such as issues of "Dokdo Islets' territorial sovereignty", "Past History" and so-called "Comfort Women" which not only in Korea but also in the United States and in Netherlands and in EU and Cannda, respective congress has called for Japanese government appropriate actions on the issue? Furthermore, How can it be possible for the Republic of Korea to conclude FTA between Japan and Korea without complete solution of the still pending issues such as "Dokdo Islets", "Past History" and so-called "Comfort Women"?

We, the Dokdo NGO Forum, sincerely wish for Japanese

government's prudential actions for the issues aforementioned

in particular to the invalidation of the By-Law for the establishment of so-called "Takeshima Day" for a sound friendly relationship between the Republic of Korea and Japan in future.

February 22, 2008

Hongju NAH

Chairman, Dokdo NGO Forum

Heung Sah Dan Building(2 fl)

1-28 Dong Soong-dong Jongro-gu

Seoul, Republic of Korea

Ref. : The Dokdo NGO Forum was voluntarily organized in November

last year(2007), and consists of the following Civilian Dokdo

Movement Groups in Korean names across the nation;
 

  * 흥사단 독도연구회

  * 독도리아

  * 독도의병대

  * 코리아 독도녹색운동연합

  * 독도사수연합회

  * 사운 이종학 유족회

  * 발명계 독도운동본부

  * 재경 독도향우회

  * 독도를 사랑하는 모임

  * 푸른 울릉도독도가꾸기 모임



(출처 : 독도학회 / 독도연구보전협회)