Do you know what the world’s longest protest is in the Guinness World Records?

Who are they, and why have they been protesting so long?

Every Wednesday
In front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, Korea

The protesters are the former “comfort women” for the Japanese military.

During the Japanese imperial period, they were drafted for military sexual slavery by Japan. 

For the Japanese government, “comfort women” are a part of the past that it wishes to forget.

However, the pain of the surviving victims is still present.

In 2011, the weekly protest of these gray-haired women marked its 1000th anniversary.

To commemorate the anniversary, a statue was erected in front of the Japanese Embassy.

These elderly women have long been asking for an apology from the Japanese government.

This statue of a girl always stands by them.

On the day of the 1046th Wednesday protest, a Korean girl set out on a trip to America.
 
Her goal!
“Promote the truth about the comfort women system as a Japanese war crime.”

“Promote the Dokdo naming issue as the lingering legacy of Japanese imperialism.”

Dokdo was incorporated into Japan in 1905. Like the comfort women issue, Dokdo is also considered a remnant of Japanese imperialism.

1. The comfort woman statue goes to the UN headquarters in New York!

Standing before the United Nations, an organization that represents human rights and peace

The girl wanted to promote the truth about the “comfort women” to the world.  

The winter wind in New York was harsh.
She shivered with cold.

Then, she thought of those strong survivors in Korea.

On Wednesdays, whether it is raining or snowing, they go to the Japanese embassy.

2. The comfort woman statue goes to Times Square!

Standing at Times Square, a famous place among New Yorkers and tourists

On this busy street, the girl tried to tell true stories about the “comfort women.”

However, she was confronted with indifference.

Suddenly, rain started falling and people hurried to their destinations. Her voice became muted in the rain.

Then, an American man approached her.

He was interested in who the statue represents. 

“The statue represents the victims of Japan’s military sexual slavery system.”

“For 15 years from 1931 to 1945, Japan took women from its occupied territories and forced them into sexual slavery.”

“Japan was committing this terrible war crime in Asia, while Nazi Germany was carrying out the Holocaust in Europe.”

“America is a country that supports human rights, isn’t it?”

“There are still a lot of human rights violations around the world. The comfort women issue is one of them.”

“In order to move forward, Japan should reflect on its past and apologize to its victims. Your interest and support will be a great help.”

He showed empathy and gave a flower to her. Then, he left.

3. The comfort woman statue goes to American universities!

Visiting renowned institutions that educate future leaders, who will tackle human rights violations and war crime issues

Harvard University
Georgetown University
Cornell University
Stanford University

During conferences at these universities, the girl told stories about the “comfort women.”

There was a question that surprised her.

“I just searched online. It says that the Japanese government already apologized. How do you respond to that?”

He raised his hand and asked her this question. 

“Yes, Japan did apologize. But, it denied its use of coercion during the recruitment of the “comfort women.”

“It also denied the government’s involvement.” 

“It insisted that those women voluntarily made their choice.”

“So, I don’t consider the apology sincere, but rather meaningless words.”

Still, Japanese politicians pay tribute to war criminals at their shrine and distort historical facts in their school textbooks.

He eventually understood how Koreans feel about their painful past and the Dokdo issue. 

Coldness, indifference and criticism
These are the three things that challenged the girl during her visit to America.

However, she found her strength by thinking about the strength of the surviving victims.

Also, one person at Times Square gave her the courage to go on.

Finally, while answering a student’s critical question, she found hope for change. 

What is the ultimate goal that the girl and the surviving victims want to achieve?

It is to prevent such tragedies from repeating ever again.

Although they lost their youth in their teens and twenties, they hope no one else will go through such pain and instead will live a happy life that they deserve.

However, they know there are still many people suffering in different parts of Asia and Africa.

For those who are suffering from wars, human rights violations and forced labor, these women are making contributions.

They refused to live as victims, but instead as human rights and peace activists. 

The Wednesday protest still continues in front of the Japanese embassy. 

The number of current survivors:
Only 60 women

The ultimate goal of the Wednesday protest

They are not fighting for “compensation” for themselves, but rather for an “assurance” of a peaceful future for everyone in the world.

VANK wants to promote this cause to Asia, Africa, Europe and all other parts of the world.

We are looking for courageous young Koreans who will take this journey with us.

A Korean girl came back from her first journey to America.
You can be a part of our next journey!

[Additional ending]

While we were making this video after our journey, we heard the news about the passing of two of the victims among the 60 survivors.

Kim Bok-sun passed away on December 12, 2012, followed by Hwang Geum-joo on January 3, 2013. May they rest in peace!

Now, there are only 58 survivors.
Time is running out.

What if your name disappears from the world …?

Geese fly and leave their sound. People die leaving their names.
- Chinese proverb 

Tigers die and leave their skin. People die leaving their names.
- Korean proverb

Historically, Chinese and Koreans put emphasis on names.

One’s name carries a lot of information.
Their ancestry
Their family background
Their parents’ expectations

Names reflect one’s identity. When babies are born, parents think of their future. 
They spend a lot of time and effort to name their children. 

About 80 years ago, some people had to lose their given names.
They were confronted with a harsh reality that their parents never wanted.

Numerous Asians became war victims in the 20th century.

14 girls named Su-Young
Seo Su-Young, Kim Su-Young, Bok Su-Young, Ryu Su-Young,
Po Su-Syoung, Shi Su-Young, Bang Su-Young, Gye Su-Young
And Two Wang Su-Young and three Lee Su-Young

All these girls with the same name were victims of the Nanjing Massacre.

[Nanjing Massacre, December 1937 ~ January 1938]
A mass rape and murder in Nanjing committed by Japanese troops

In 1937 during the Sino-Japanese War, Japan invaded Nanjing, then the capital of China.

Within only six weeks, the Japanese invaders murdered three hundred thousand Chinese people.

The purpose of the massacre
To create fear of the Japanese Army through a massacre in the capital of China

Due to their cruel war tactic, fourteen Chinese girls named Su-Young were killed.

In Chinese, Su 秀 [xiu] means excellent or beautiful.
Their parents probably hoped that they would live happy lives as lovely women. 

However, they became victims of a massacre.  The girls and their families were brutally murdered or raped. Men were used for Japanese military training and beheading contests. Women were raped by soldiers. Their names and dreams were lost because of Japanese imperialism.

There were another 200 thousand women, who lost their names and dreams because of Imperial Japan. They were from different parts of Asia, including Korea, China, Singapore, Myanmar, Indonesia, and the Philippines. 

Many innocent Asian girls were sacrificed during the war. During WWII, Japan had a problem of their soldiers raping local women in occupied areas. The rape of civilian women produced serious anti-Japanese sentiment, leading to trouble for its occupational rule.

As a solution, Japan decided to use young women from its 10 occupied countries. It set up military brothels, so-called “comfort stations,” at Japanese military bases. The young girls were brought to those stations. They were named “comfort women,” meaning women who comfort Japanese soldiers.

With the disguised name, they were forced into sexual slavery for the Japanese military. Two hundred thousand Asian women lost their names and youth. No official apology by Japan has made to these women. Now, the elderly victims are dying.

Erasing names
Forced Name Change
Japan’s policy of forcing Koreans to take Japanese names

Japan forced Koreans to give up their names.

From February 1940 to August 1945, Japan implemented a policy that required Koreans to take Japanese names.

It was to erase the identity of the Korean people. For those who refused to take Japanese names, Japan denied their children admission to schools. It also took away their livelihood.

Japan aggressively promoted name change by using famous Korean people. By forcing Koreans to take Japanese names, Japan wished to destroy the identity, culture and values of the Korean people. Many Asians lost their names and lives during the Japanese Imperial Period.

However, Japan still refuses to accept the past and continues to distort history. 
Instead, Japan is trying to take away another name.

The name of Dokdo!
Dokdo was the first Korean territory taken over by Japan.

Japan is trying to change the name of Dokdo to Takeshima and erase the name of Dokdo from world maps.

Japan’s sovereignty claim over Dokdo
Japan is imposing pain on Asia again.

Global economists and futurists predict the future of Asia as a double-edged sword.

- Continent of enormous potential to lead the global economy                  
- Continent of constant territorial and historical disputes due to Japanese imperial history

VANK members have a different perspective on the future of Asia. Asia will prove its great potential by reconciling conflicts over history. Asia will get its true name back by rewinding time and resolving unsolved historical conflicts.

We need to find the key to peace in Asia. We are the ones who will create the future of Asia.

Korea, China and Japan, we must work together.

We know that the gunshots didn’t end that day, and continued in the following days. Those innocent people shouldn’t have lost their lives that way; they deserved to enjoy their life on earth. The earth is their mother. But no one was able to stop the frenzied Japanese army. More people fell and the blood continued to flow. It was a dark day.

On that day, Japanese Embassy Representative Ancun Sanlang was welcomed by the International Committee in Nanjing. The United States, Germany, and England had to respect and abide by Japan’s requests because Japan was the victor of the war. Although Ancun Sanlang spoke English, he chose to speak in Japanese as a display of his pride. He approached the International Committee with the request to immediately clear the roads of the dead bodies in order to make room for Captain Matsui’s entrance ceremony on December 17th.

All the roads were a chaotic mess, full of cars and debris. There were too many bodies to remove in a short time, so some Chinese people began to work as porters of the dead as their only means of survival in the dark era.

The living Chinese people stacked the bodies in high piles along the walls. Wild cats, stray dogs and rats lived between the corpses ate the bodies for food.

The Big North Mountain near No.2 Alley is called “the mountains filled with dead bodies” and the ponds in the Dazhong Pavilion, Dafang Valley and Jiangsu Roads are called “the ponds full of blood”. All of the places were overflowing with corpses and blood. The Japanese army poured gasoline on the piles of corpses, sending bursts of bright flame skyward. Bloody bodies were thrown in creek and left to scream.  Hundreds of thousands innocent Chinese civilians turned into dust immediately.

Even after civilians were killed, soldiers did not allow them to have their peace. Corpses were looted for anything of value. The silver dollar turned black and the color of paper money turned pale. People called this kind of money “dirty money”, and the money from the dead flowed back into the market again by hands of the pillagers. It is said that a Japanese soldier even hacked off the legs of a corpse just to get the money in his trouser pocket.
On the night of April 18, 1987, on the 36th floor of Yuansheng Alley, Nanjing, a retired couple watched television as they did on every other day. Suddenly, the old man shouted out: How could that Japanese monk return to Nanjing!

The broadcaster in the TV explained that 69 people of a delegation to China, attended the memorial activities held in the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall Plaza, and expressed deep sympathies for the Chinese victims. This was the second time Japanese displayed the desire to mourn the victims in the Nanjing Massacre.

The old man’s thought reflected back to 1937. He was working as the chauffeur of the monk, a member of the Nakajima forces. After he dropped off the Japanese officials at their office, the chauffeur was forced use the car to move the dead bodies. He often cried when he saw how many young people lost their lives. When the weather became warmer, the dead bodies began to reek. The chauffeur had to wear a mask and wash his car twice a day. Every time he returned home, he had to shake off the maggots off his body before he entered the room. How could the Japanese have forced them to work these types of jobs?
Although 1937 may seem like a time long ago, but the sorrow and sadness does not belong only to the old man and his generation.

We still not know all the exact burial sites of these innocent bodies. In the showroom of the Bones of Jiangdong District, the soul of tens of thousands deceased persons are crying. The bones tell the true history! As new generation, we promise we will never forget our history! We are still fighting for the truth!

Warm rocks in the sunshine
Beautiful oceans with many species of fish

We love Dokdo.
 
We used to live in the East Sea and swim around Dokdo.
There were 30 to 50 thousand of us!

However, the Japanese occupation changed our lives. 

We are Dokdo sea lions.
All of us died out forever.

We were the biggest and brightest sea lions in the world.

We were never afraid of the gunfire of Japanese fishermen.

We tore out of the net when those fishermen tried to capture us. 

We sometimes attacked the Japanese boats that were crossing over the East Sea.

So, the Japanese were afraid of us showing up.

We were brave and strong. 
How did we end up disappearing from the East Sea?

In 1910, Japan officially took over Korea.

However, Dokdo was violated even before that time.

In 1905, Japan forcibly incorporated Dokdo.

A Japanese fisherman, Nakai Yozaburo, made a fortune hunting sea lions.

Driven by greed, he wanted to ensure a monopoly over fishing rights around Dokdo.

Nakai petitioned the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs to incorporate Dokdo.

However, his petition was rejected because of a Japanese document.

“Ulleungdo and its affiliated island have no relation to Japan.”
- From a Daijokan (Grand Council of State) directive (1877)

However, Japan suddenly changed its position during the Russo-Japanese War.

Japan needed a strategic military outpost to defeat the Russian fleet.

Dokdo was the perfect place to fight the Russians.

Japan certainly knew that Dokdo belonged to Korea.

Despite that clear fact, Japan took control of Dokdo.
It also granted exclusive fishing rights to Nakai Yozaburo

Using Ulleungdo and Dokdo, Japan managed to defeat the Baltic Fleet.

Nakai Yozaburo was empowered to catch sea lions at will.

Dokdo was the first Korean territory to face the emerging Japanese imperialism.

Sea lions were the first Korean victims to suffer from Japanese imperialism.

Japanese fishermen used baby sea lions as bait to catch mother sea lions.

When mother sea lions tried to save their babies, the fishermen captured them.

They sold the skins of mother sea lions to bag manufacturers.

Baby sea lions were sold to circuses.

Japanese fishermen captured 14 thousand sea lions over 8 years beginning in 1905.

Indiscriminate fishing changed the color of the East Sea from blue to brown. 

In less than a half century, Dokdo sea lions became extinct.

The extinction of the Dokdo sea lions foreshadowed the looming fate of the Korean people.

Soon, Japan annexed Korea and took the lives of many innocent people.

To threaten Korean freedom fighters, Japan used their families.

They took the families hostage and killed them, just like they killed the sea lions.

Korean men were forcibly sent to battlefields.

Young Korean girls were forced to serve as military sex slaves.

1910 ~ 1945
The number of Korean nationals forced into military and labor services:
About 5 million on record 

Among them, over 3 million died during their service.

Their bodies were left on the streets.

Japan was determined to become a part of the imperial powers and dominate Asia.

Starting with the incorporation of Dokdo, Japan took many innocent lives in Korea.

Japan claims that it has established sovereignty over Dokdo.

Japan bases its claim on the activities of the greedy fisherman.

On April 2010

Japan started teaching its students that Dokdo is a Japanese territory.
It is purposively hiding the fact that Japan forcibly took control of Dokdo.
 
Japan continues to claim sovereignty over Dokdo, using a false version of history.

This is not a simple threat to Korean territory.

The incorporation of Dokdo and the slaughter of its sea lions were only the beginning of Japanese imperialism.
 
Japan’s claim of sovereignty over Dokdo signals the revival of its imperialistic ambitions.

It is a threat to world peace.

Can you please remember us?

You cannot see us around Dokdo anymore.

But please don’t let our death be in vain.
 
We must protect Dokdo to protect peace in Korea and the world.

The tragedy of Dokdo started with the greed of a Japanese fisherman.

The imperialistic ambition of a country took away numerous innocent lives, land, and history.

Please let our story be heard
in Dokdo,
in Korea,
and around the world.

We must take action to stop the imperialistic activities of Japan. 

Japan is again making a move on Dokdo and pursuing its old imperialistic ambitions.

We must reveal the truth behind their false claims.

We must let them know that the international community is no longer controlled by force.

A common desire for justice and peace is now our strongest force.

Let’s build a fair and peaceful world together!

Please help us eliminate this lingering imperialism, the tragedy of humanity.

Peace is our common drive.

World Peace Starts Here, with YOU!

Known as a gateway city of Korea
“Incheon”

Incheon was forced to open its port by the western powers in the late 19th century.

Sadly, it later turned into a battlefield between foreign powers. 

A small island in the East Sea at the eastern end of Korea
“Dokdo”

Dokdo was the first Korean territory that was affected by Japanese imperialism

It has a painful history of being used as a logistics base for Japan.  

The two faraway places of Incheon and Dokdo share a commonality.
They both carry the traces of the Japanese Occupation Period.

The Korean people tend to show a strong reaction to the Dokdo issue.

Koreans have a special attachment to Dokdo.

What makes Dokdo more special than any other islands in Korea?

Here we will give answers to the 9 most frequently asked questions about Dokdo.

1. What does Dokdo mean to the Korean people?
“Dokdo”
An island at the eastern end of Korea

Dokdo is close to another Korean island, Ulleungdo.
In good weather, it is clearly visible to the naked eye from Ulleungdo.  

Dokdo is home to various species of ocean life.

Korea has been legitimately exercising its sovereignty over Dokdo.

Korean police and military personnel protect the airspace and waters around Dokdo.

Korean national laws are being enforced on Dokdo.

There are also official Korean residents on Dokdo.

Each year, over 130 thousand Korean tourists visit Dokdo.

Under international law, Dokdo undoubtedly belongs to Korea. 

The Japanese Occupation Period (1910 – 1945)

Japan took control of Dokdo even before its annexation of Korea.

Nearly 70 years have passed since the independence of Korea.

Japan is still claiming sovereignty over Dokdo. 

With its beautiful natural environment, Dokdo gives happiness to the Korean people.

At the same time, it conjures up the painful memories of Japanese colonial rule.

To the Korean people, Dokdo is a symbol of their independence and sovereignty.

That is why Koreans have a special attachment to Dokdo.

2. When and why did Japan take over Dokdo?

Japan recognized the strategic value of Dokdo in 1904 during the Russo-Japanese War.

“Dokdo is in a great strategic location to establish a watchtower and install radio or submarine cables to detect the movements of enemy ships.”
- Yamaza Enjiro, Director of the Political Affairs Bureau, Japan 

Japan began attempting to incorporate Dokdo in order to defeat the Russian fleet.

In 1904, Japan forced Korea to sign a protocol to use Korea as a logistics base during the war.

In 1905, Japan incorporated Dokdo through the Shimane Prefecture’s public notice #40.

The incorporation was initiated without any legitimate procedure.  

It was a violation of Korea’s long established sovereignty over Dokdo.

Thus, Dokdo is clearly a Korean territory under international law.

3. Is there a historical foundation for Korea exerting sovereignty over Dokdo before 1905?

Yes, here it is.

“The Ulleungdo Boundary Dispute”
This book recorded interactions between the Korean and Japanese governments in the 17th century.

In 1693, Japanese fishermen from the Tottori Domain were fishing around Ulleungdo.

They ended up getting caught by Ahn Yong-Bok and other Korean fishermen.

Ahn travelled to Japan and objected to the intrusion of Japanese fishermen on Ulleungdo.

Meanwhile, Japanese fishermen complained to the Japanese government about Korean fishermen in the area.

The Japanese government asked the Tottori Domain to investigate the sovereignty of Ulleungdo.

So, the Tottori Domain initiated interaction with the Korean government. This interaction is referred to as “the Ulleungdo Boundary Dispute” in historical records.

Consequently, the Tottori Domain submitted a report to the Japanese government stating that Ulleungdo and Dokdo did not belong to their domain.
 
The Japanese government revoked permission for the passage of Japanese ships to Ulleungdo.

This decision concluded the dispute between the two countries.

It reaffirmed that Dokdo and Ulleungdo belonged to Korea.

In the late 19th century, some Japanese were caught illegally logging in Ulleungdo. 

The Korean Empire asked Japan to remove Japanese loggers from the island.

It also decided to strengthen its administrative control over Ulleungdo.

This decision was published as Royal Edict No.41 in an official gazette in 1900.

Article 2 of this edict states the following. 
“… The areas of jurisdiction include all parts of Ulleungdo and Dokdo.”
 
This article clearly indicates that Korea exercised jurisdiction over both islands.

4. Is there concrete historical evidence to prove that Dokdo is a Korean territory?

There are many official government documents to prove it.
 
Sejong Sillok Jiriji (1454)
Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam (1531)
Dongguk Munheonbigo (1770)
Mangi Yoram (1808)
Jeungbo Munheonbigo (1908)

Many government-issued Korean documents have various records of Dokdo.

All of this documentation reflects that Korea has long recognized Dokdo as its territory.

5. Does Japan have evidence that proves its sovereignty over Dokdo?

Onshu Shicho Goki (Records on Observations in Oki Province)
An old Japanese document compiled in 1667 by a Japanese local official

It is the oldest Japanese document to record Japan’s stance on Dokdo.

“The Oki Island marks the northwestern boundary of Japan.”

This document proves that Japan excluded Dokdo from its territorial boundaries.

Japan presents an ancient Japanese map as its evidence.

Kaisei Nippon Yochi Rotei Zenzu (1779)
(Revised Complete Map of Japanese Lands and Roads)

This map was produced by an individual, not the Japanese government.

The cartographer said that he consulted the Onshu Shicho Goki.

Dai Nihon Enkai Yochi Zenzu (1821), a large map from a survey during the Edo Period
(Map of Japan’s Costal Areas)

This comprehensive map also did not specify Dokdo. 

Neither the people nor the government of Japan perceived Dokdo as their territory.

On the other hand, many ancient Korean maps marked Dokdo with its old name “Usando.”

This indicates that Korea has long recognized Dokdo as its territory.

6. What grounds does Japan have for its claim over Dokdo?

Japan argues that Korea renounced its sovereignty by evacuating residents from the islands. 

The evacuation of the residents was only a part of a security policy during Joseon.

The evacuation decision was to protect the people from the repeated invasions of pirates. 

Thus, the Joseon government asked the Ulleungdo residents to move to the mainland.

It was by no means a renunciation of its sovereignty, but only a temporary policy to protect the people.

Until this policy ceased, the Joseon government regularly sent its officials to the islands.

Despite the evacuation, Joseon maintained its governance of the islands.  

Japan also attempts to interpret the Treaty of San Francisco (1951) to its own advantage.

In 1946, the Supreme Commander for Allied Powers commanded Japan to abandon its administrative authority over Dokdo.

This command banned Japanese vessels or personnel from approaching within 12 miles of Dokdo.

“Japan shall recognize the independence of Korea.”

“Japan shall renounce all right, title and claim to Korea, including Jejudo, Geomundo and Ulleungdo.”
- Article 2 of the San Francisco Peace Treaty (1951)

Japan asserts that Dokdo was not included in the list.

Japan uses this interpretation as proof that Dokdo does not belong to Korea.

Even islands bigger than Dokdo were not specifically listed in the treaty. Thus, such an argument is absurd.

7. Did Korea fully recover its sovereignty over Dokdo after independence?

Japan will be expelled from all other territories which she has taken by violence and greed.”
- Cairo Declaration (1943)

The declaration indicates that Korea fully recovered its sovereign rights over its territories.

Dokdo is no exception.

8. What is the most decisive evidence that proves Korean sovereignty over Dokdo?

The 1877 Daijokan directive assured that Dokdo did not belong to Japan.

During the Meiji Era, the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs made an inquiry to the Daijokan.

The Daijokan was then the highest administrative body. The inquiry was about the sovereignty of Ulleungdo and Dokdo.

Based on “the Ulleungdo Boundary Dispute,” the Daijokan stated the following. 

“Be assured that either Ulleungdo or Dokdo has no relation to Japan.”

About 7 years before, in 1870, a Japanese official also filed a similar report.

In the report titled “Chosenkoku Kosai-Shimatsu Naitansho,” he concluded that Ulleungdo and Dokdo had nothing to do with Japan.

“How Takeshima (Ulleungdo) and Matsushima (Dokdo) became annexed to Joseon”

This statement shows that Japan recognized Ulleungdo and Dokdo as Korean territories.
There was no disagreement over the sovereignty of these islands between Korea and Japan.

9. If Dokdo is clearly a Korean territory, why does it refuse Japan’s proposal to bring the issue to the International Court of Justice?

Korea has long established its sovereignty over Dokdo.

There is no reason for Korea to prove its own sovereignty to the court.

Japan is constantly making claims of sovereignty over Dokdo.

There is a real reason why Japan wants to take this issue to the international court.

Japan continues to agitate the Korean media and the Korean people.

Japan is trying to make Dokdo a contested region.

The result of taking this issue to the court is clear.

Dokdo will be categorized as a contested region.

Dokdo will be brought into an unwanted territorial dispute.

This goes against our will to protect our territory and peace in Northeast Asia.

These nine answers explain why Koreans tend to have sensitive reactions to the Dokdo issue.

Dokdo is not a simple matter of a territorial dispute between Korea and Japan.

It is instead a common issue of peace among all humanity.

Japanese imperialism took the lives of many innocent people, and Japan has shown no regret for its past actions.

The international community should encourage Japan to reflect on its history.

Otherwise, imperialistic movements in Japan may gain momentum again.

Together, we should make it clear that imperialism will no longer be tolerated.

To the Korean people, Dokdo is a reminder of the Japanese Occupation Period.

VANK and its members will continue to work hard to overcome the legacy of Japanese imperialism.

We will further contribute to maintaining world peace.

We hope for your support in our effort to protect Dokdo.

Your support will create peace in Northeast Asia.

Whose territory is this island?

Yushandao, China: 287 km
Marado, Korea: 147 km
This island is twice as close to one of the two countries than it is to the other.

Whose territory should it be?
One of the two countries has historical records and a legend about this island.

“A legend and folk songs about this island have been passed down through many generations in this country”
“People in Jejudo, a nearby Korean island, believed that missing sailors live there with angels.”

The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty and old maps show evidence that Jeju people developed sea routes and engaged in fishing activities around this island.

One of the two countries has clear historical records of this island.

Whose territory should it be?

One of the two countries suddenly started claiming sovereignty over this island in the 1990s.

However, the other country had already marked this island as its territory on a copperplate in 1951.

In 1987, it set up a buoy in the water around Ieodo, and publicized the news internationally.

In 2003, it established the Ieodo Ocean Research Station for ocean and weather observation.

Whose territory should it be?

The two countries in contention over the same island, Ieodo 
Korea and China

Closer distance
More historical records and a legend
&
Substantial research and effective usage of the island

All of these facts lead to one conclusion. Ieodo is a Korean territory.

Ieodo
Ieodo is known as an island of legend and mystery because it is usually underwater and only shows itself when there are big waves.

A rich fishing ground at the intersection of cold and warm currents
A repository of rich marine resources, including oil and gas 
A critical geopolitical location of Korea’s major transportation route

In 2003, Korea opened a research station on Ieodo to predict typhoons and benefit the Korean people.  This station will also help improve the management of ocean resources in the 21st century.

It is named “Ieodo Ocean Research Station”.

China also noticed the value of Ieodo and its surrounding oceans. In the 1990s, China started claiming ownership of Ieodo. In 2007, a Chinese government-affiliated organization attempted to indicate Ieodo as a Chinese territory. 

“Ieodo is under Chinese jurisdiction. It is part of China’s regular patrol areas for surveillance boats and airplanes.”
- Liu Cigui, Director of the State Oceanic Administration, China 
 
As another round of negotiations over exclusive economic zones (EEZ) is approaching, China is again creating tension.

China is provoking the uneasiness of the Korean people. 

It is threatening Korea’s sovereignty over Korean waters. 
It is attempting to expand its own territorial waters.
It is boasting about its growing national and military powers.

China is now building a Chinese-centered international order. Such attempts are creating tension and threatening peace in Northeast Asia. This is a sure sign of reviving Chinese imperialism. 

Young Koreans must take action to counter China’s political and militaristic ambitions. We should persuade the international community to support our effort to foster peace in Asia.

One of the first things we should do is promote the truth about Ieodo! We have already started our promotional effort, and persuaded the CIA to correct misinformation about Korea. The CIA provided information that could potentially be used to support China’s Northeast Project.

We asked for a correction of its descriptions of Korea’s ancient history.

“Korea was an independent kingdom for much of the past millennium”
- The CIA World Factbook 2007

This information was misleading, so we sent messages to the CIA asking for a correction. 

“The description could be interpreted to mean that Korea was not an independent kingdom before the past millennium.”

“It excludes Gojoseon and Goguryeo from Korea’s ancient history.”

In less than a month, the description was changed to “an independent Korean state has existed continuously for several millennia”.

Similar efforts have continued for over ten years. We managed to increase the use of the name “East Sea” on world maps from 3% to 29%. With the encouragement of such successful changes, we should now start promoting the truth about Ieodo.

China’s ambition toward Ieodo reflects the direction of its growing national power. We should let the world know that China is moving to threaten peace in Northeast Asia.

Fortunately, we have the tool of the Internet which connects people across the world.

Foreign friends and overseas Koreans
Foreign embassies and government entities 
And the social networking services (SNS) they use

Using all these channels, we should promote the truth about China’s imperialistic objectives toward Ieodo. 

Together, we will promote the truth about Ieodo. Our effort is not just to protect our waters. It is also to protect peace in Northeast Asia. VANK is looking for young Koreans who will promote Ieodo and our ocean. With us, you will establish peace in Northeast Asia.

A compass for the future of Asia,
Ieodo

We should use this compass to direct us toward peace in Asia. We should effectively counter China’s imperialism. Through our efforts, our ocean will function to control tension in Northeast Asia.

Both Koreans and the people of the world will benefit from our efforts. Our ocean will become a symbol of peace. Please join us to protect our ocean and peace in Asia!!

With us, you become a peacemaker in Asia.

Do you know the story about how 50 cents made possible the world’s No.1 shipbuilding yard? In the early 1970s, the late founder of Hyundai, Jung Ju-young, visited the U.K. to gain investment for starting a Korean shipbuilding industry. 

“The poor country of Korea is incapable of developing a shipbuilding industry.”

Due to such pessimistic views of Korea, Jung had a tough time attracting investment. He made one last try at A&P Appledore International, a British shipbuilding company. Its chairman, Longbottom, also rejected Jung’s proposal without a second thought.

In the face of rejection, Jung pulled a 500 won bill from his pocket.

“Korea is the country that built an iron-clad battleship in the 1500s. General Yi Sun-sin invented this ship and defeated the Japanese attacks against the odds.”

“Korea’s shipbuilding technology is over 300 years ahead of Britain’s.”

Impressed with Jung’s ambition, Longbottom decided to make investments. This eventually led Korea to become the global leader in the shipbuilding industry. At first, the international community scoffed at Korea’s attempts to build ships. 

It was an understandable doubt because at the time Korea had neither capital nor technology to develop a shipbuilding industry. Despite all the skepticism, Jung showed the confidence and ambition that he learned from General Yi’s life.  

As a result, he rewrote the history of Korea’s shipbuilding industry. The most respected historical figure in Korea, The inventor of Geobukseon, the turtle ship,

Admiral Yi Sun-sin  

Have you ever heard Yi’s brave life story?
In the late 16^th century, Korea faced a series of Japanese invasions, which is known as the Imjin War (Imjin Waeran in Korean). 

The Imjin War (1592-1598) was then the biggest war in East Asia. The Japanese army was armed with cutting-edge weaponry. They were certain they would quickly advance to Joseon’s capital and win a sweeping victory. 

However, the situation was dramatically reversed during the ocean battles.   

23 Battles, 23 Wins by Joseon!

Joseon had an absolute disadvantage in the scale of ships, troops, and weaponry. Despite unfavorable conditions, General Yi exhibited bravery, and led Joseon forces to a victory in every single battle.

Yi Sun-sin (1545~1598) 

Trained elite naval forces. Constructed a high-tech battleship, Geobukseon (turtle ship)
Developed exceptional war tactics to defeat the Japanese army 

He confronted the fear of his country’s fall. However, he encouraged the Joseon army to overcome their fear and eventually defeated Japan. 

Pilsajuksaeng (必死則生), Pilsaengjuksa (必生則死)

If you risk your life, you shall survive. If you try to save your life, you shall die.
General Yi risked his life to save his country in jeopardy.  

Have you heard about his hope? In 1597 during the Imjin War, the Joseon navy under the command of Won Gyun was devastatingly defeated.

Only 12 remained of over 160 battleships. In this time of crisis, Yi Sun-sin was appointed commander of the Joseon navy. Upon his appointment, he was given a royal edict.

“There seems to be no chance of winning on the ocean, so fight on land.”

 However, Yi raised an objection.

“Your Highness, I still have twelve battleships.” 
Even during the crisis of the country’s fall, his resolute will to win was unbroken.   

“With twelve ships, we still have hope.”
His desperate hope changed the fate of Joseon. 

The battle of Myeongryang (1597)
Ended in victory for the Joseon fleet of 12 ships against 133 Japanese ships
The last hope of General Yi saved the endangered Joseon from its fall.

His victory led to the eventual end of the war and the recovery of peace in Asia.

Have you heard about his patriotism?
He made the greatest contribution to the country during the Imjin War.
Due to vicious slanders, however, Yi was demoted from commander to private.
He unfairly lost his position and even his mother. 

Despite his anguish, he never stopped searching for ways to defeat the Japanese army. His position as naval commander was taken away. However, his patriotism remained strong to protect the country and the people.  With the loss of Yi’s command, the Joseon navy went into decline.   

Finally, Yi regained control of the navy. The betrayal of the king and the kingdom
Despite the ordeal, his patriotism never changed. 
His patriotism saved the country and the people from a national crisis. 

General Yi Sun-sin is and will forever be remembered as an immortal hero, who taught the value of bravery and hope to the descendents of Korea.

Seventy thousand General Yis appeared in the 21^st century?
Do you know about today’s General Yis, who protected the East Sea?

The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) is the main entity that decides the names of the seas of the world. In 1929, the IHO published the first edition of the Limits of Oceans and Seas. It adopted the name of the Sea of Japan, instead of the East Sea. The name of the Sea of Japan remained in the second edition (1937) and the third edition (1953).

‘The Sea of Japan’
During the Japanese Occupation Period (1910-1945), Korea was unable to represent itself.
Using its colonial power, Japan managed to spread the name of the Sea of Japan over the East Sea. In 1991, Korea finally raised an objection about the name to the international community.

However, Korea failed to gain support due to the influence of Japan’s nearly 100 years of lobbying. Among all the world maps in the 1990s,
Around 97% adopted the name of the Sea of Japan
Only 3% adopted the name of the East Sea

The name of the East Sea was in great danger!!!

In the face of crisis, young Koreans stood up as the General Yis of the 21^st century. They began the counterattack. Against the 97%, Koreans found hope from the 3%.

International textbooks
International map publishers
Elementary, middle, and high schools of the world

Young Koreans have been reaching out to the people of the world, who are misinformed about the truth of the East Sea. For over 10 years since 1999, they have promoted the legitimacy of the name of ‘the East Sea.’

Consequently, major institutions like National Geographic and World Atlas started accepting the name of the East Sea. As of 2012, 29% of world maps use the name of the East Sea, along with the Sea of Japan.  

Their [VANK’s] claim that the East Sea has some historical precedent worked, as some major book and map publishers, educational web sites and other reference materials now include the East Sea name along with the Sea of Japan. – worldatlas.com 

In March of 2012, Joongang Daily New York reported a surprising change.
Since 2005, 89% of world maps use the East Sea along with the Sea of Japan.

The world’s most renowned geographic magazine publisher, National Geographic
The U.K.’s popular publishing company, Dorling Kindersley 

These are the results of our steady efforts to promote the adoption of the name, the East Sea. General Yi defeated the Japanese fleet of 133 ships with only 12 ships.
What made this possible was his bravery and unyielding hope!

His spirit was passed down to today’s young Koreans.
Against the 97%, they found hope from the 3%.
With bravery and hope, these young Koreans are protecting the East Sea.
Admiral Yi Sun-sin saved our land and oceans from Japan.

His spirit has been inherited by 70 thousand VANK members!
They recognized that Takeshima might replace Dokdo in the minds of the people of the world.

To protect their territory, they began promoting the name of the East Sea.
Thanks to their efforts, more and more people came to know the truth of the East Sea.

Do you know why Koreans consider Admiral Yi their most respected historical figure?

The undefeated record in all his battles
The greatest naval admiral of the world’s military history 

Yi Sun-sin 

After hundreds of years, many people still remember and respect him. It is not because he is a hero who created miracles. It is because of the impact his words, sprit and life decisions have made on people.

He showed unrelenting bravery and unyielding hope against all adversity. Admiral Yi became the compass that guides the life of Koreans. 

Yi Sun-sin (1545~1598)

He was and still is the national hero of Korea.
For all Koreans, he will continue to be the immortal hero. 

VANK is looking for Admiral Yis of the 21^st century.
Project, Admiral Yi Sun-sin is organized on this website at http://korea.prkorea.com

Inheriting the spirit of General Yi, they should protect the culture and history of Korea.General Yis of the 21^st century will bring Korea to the center of the world in the emerging era of the Pacific. 

Who controls the seas shall control the world!
Like General Yi, young Koreans will protect their sea and change the world! 

Our hero is YOU!

Dokdo camp is an annual visit to Dokdo island, organized by VANK for 70 selected students from across Korea. The aim of the trip is to provide students with information about the historical background of Dokdo conflict, and why Japan wants to claim ownership of this Korean island.
We departed from Seoul on the night of 8th August. It was a Monday, a bit rainy, but very cool and comfortable for a day in the midst of heated summer. I guess that was a good signal for the start of a fascinating journey.

I started meeting a lot of new friends here. The members of the camp are bright students, who study at different schools, come from different parts of Korea, are of different ages, but they share the same passion: to learn more about and to protect Dokdo island. What impressed me is that, for their young age (the youngest ones were 14), they are very mature, considerate towards others, and many have a good command of English. As a “chingu” (friend) of many members, I feel they are amiable and friendly to foreigners. Some little ones tried their best to show interest in communicating with me even though they were nervous about their English. Through interacting with members, I could see that their adorable shyness cannot overshadow their kindness and enthusiasm.

We stayed at Ulleungdo island, 120 km east of the Korean Peninsula and 82 km away from Dokdo. Elleungdo is an enchanting island that has become a favorite for tourists who love beautiful natural scenery with sea, forests, and mountains, especially tourists who love hiking. I felt thrilled and fortunate that I had been there to enjoy the serene beauty of Ulleungdo – such a captivating different side of Korea compared with the busy urban areas.

On the first day of the camp, we visited Dokdo museum – a place storing various historical documents (including old Japanese papers) confirming Korean rightful ownership of Dokdo. All members were delighted to gain more detailed knowledge about Dokdo and felt an even stronger urge to defend Dokdo from the claim of Japan. The evidence is so clear that Dokdo truly belongs to Korea that many students found even the idea of a dispute over ownership very difficult to grasp.

This same day, we visited Dokdo Observatory by cable car, climbed up and down the mountain for some breathtaking view of the sea, then took some memorable group pictures capturing many members with messed up hair in the wildly blowing wind. I was glad we had this fun time as an opportunity for every camp participant to start getting closer to each other, for many of us were mere strangers the day before. We chatted about our feelings after seeing the museum, our fright of slipping down the steep cliff as we hiked. Then naturally we our conversations started to cover more topics about ourselves as members got to learn more about one another.  In the evening, we all gathered in separate teams preparing for a presentation in Korean. Even though I spoke no Korean at all, my team members were too nice to leave me out from the Korean presentation. So they taught me to memorize a few simple words to shout out at the beginning. I felt blessed to be in my team.

 
The next day, we received news about unfavorable weather and unusually high waves that prevented us from visiting Dokdo as planned. We were all disappointed about not being able to set foot on the beloved island we had heard so much about. Fortunately, the disappointment did not linger long since we promptly adopted an alternative plan: travelling around Ulleungdo. The whole morning was wonderful; buses took camp members from place to place, visiting several popular scene spots in Ulleungdo where we immersed ourselves in nature: sunshine, wind, sea, rocks, and the trees. It all felt like a healthy exercise, hiking in the mountains and along the coastal lines, and breathing in ample fresh air.

In the afternoon, each team was assigned to create a performance. My amible Korean teammates gave me a pleasant surprise again when they decided to write a storyline involving Kpop and Super Junior – my favorite Kpop group! That evening, before our little show, as I talked more with my acting partners, I grew to love my team members more. After the performance, everyone was very sweet and complimented me, and again I felt grateful that I was part of this genial team. Our following activity was to write a letter explaining our feelings and thoughts about Dokdo controversy. I wrote about my worries as to the effects of conflicts like this on the peaceful diplomatic relations between different countries; this has been my concern for a long while. I was confused at first about what to write, but in the end I am glad to have finished such an activity. I think the writing exercise was very helpful to all students, because we had digested a lot of information during two days, and the writing allowed us to reflect deeply about what we had learnt, and to get out our feelings onto paper in an organized manner. The atmosphere was special too. It felt weird to write about Dokdo on the land of Ulleungdo. At that time, Dokdo was so close yet still so far away from all of us, for we could not go there. Visualizing Dokdo in our minds, we wrote about the island, with our love, longing, and concerns for this Korean land.

 
Then came our final day of the camp, time flied strangely quickly for me on this island. We wrote on paper, and then on little heart-shaped notes, our dreams for our countries. We stuck our notes on a board, creating a beautiful board full of dreams and wishes of the young generations for a better future. I think I speak for many other members when I say that this was a very meaningful activity to students. Putting my dreams into words motivates me to work harder to contribute my small efforts to bettering my country, helping it achieve those dreams. 

I am fond of every moment of the camp and every camp member – not only those I was lucky enough to have had a long chat with, but everyone. Given the camp’s large scale, it is reasonable some members were unable to seek a chance to talk to someone else. Yet I think, sometimes maybe all it takes for us to become friends is to walk by each other and give friendly eye-contact, or flash a smile, or work together for a common goal. Words and talks are not compulsory. Also, though we did not get to set foot on Dokdo island, we all still learnt a lot from Dokdo camp. We learnt to love, to protect nature and the land of Korea thanks to the outdoor activities; we learnt to love each other more and to build stronger bonds teamwork; we learnt from others and we learnt about ourselves. We gained new friends who, if we are lucky, would be there by our side for a life-time. I am happy I was part of this amazing journey – an experience never to forget. I am happy to be a friend of Korea.

Binh Nguyen,
an Vietnamese intern of VANK

One hundred years ago,
In 1910,
Seikanron (the Debate to conquer Korea) was created by Japan.

“If we overcome today’s crisis, Japan shall abolish the feudal government and honor the Emperor to strengthen our national competitiveness. At the same time, we shall conquer Joseon to make it a tributary state. That is the way for us to honor the Emperor.”

“With the bridgehead of the Korean Peninsular, Japan shall advance into the continent.”
- Yoshida Shoin (Master of Ito Hirobumi) -

Japanese leaders and Ito Hirobumi who led the Korean occupation.
Later, he implemented Seikanron Japan’s occupation into Korea for about 36 years
Cause
: Promoting peace in the Korean Peninsula and Asia

War between China and Russia
Not in the land of Japan
But in the territory of Korea
First Sino-Japanese War (1894~1894),
Russo-Japanese Wars (1904~1905).

After two of outright victories
Japan took the sovereignty of the Korean peninsula
and grabbed the plentiful amount of natural resources across Asia,
accumulating immense wealth

Before their strong ambition of imperialism,
Japan heavily invested into defense.

Stronger military power brought the next war,
World War Ⅱ

What Japan’s “Asian Peace” left was just
tragedy, disaster, and indelible scars across the Asian region.

And 100 years later,
Today,
Neo Seikanron

Dokdo.
The tragic territory of Korea first invaded by Japan

As of April, 2010
Japan has begun to use history textbooks that teach
Its high, middle, and even elementary school students
that Dokdo belongs to Japan.

“Korea has taken Takeshima, the Japanese island territory, away.
Japanese students shall retake the island when they are grown up.”

That is what the history text of Japan teaches its children,
Denying the aggression of the Korean Peninsula in 1900 and
their brutality against Asians in the past.

Their seed of hospitality against Korea
is being planted into young children,
trying to conduct new aggressions of the 21st Century,
instead of regretting its past wrongdoings.

The past of 100 years ago is repeating itself until today.

Now,
somebody shall stop Japan’s “Neo Seikanron.”
This is not just a problem between Korea and Japan.
It is a very serious issue for all Asians to protect the peace of the region.

The Japanese government insists that repetitive untruth finally turns into truth.

However, VANK says the truth will finally be revealed.

While Japan’s aspiration for Asia will be diminished,
That of young Koreans will grow further and further.

VANK, Cyber Diplomatic Organization
has turned Korean young people
into Asian peace makers for genuine peace in the 21 Century.

They are growing up into heroes who save the world
in Asia and across the globe.

As the world’s smallest seeds of ‘mustard seed’ grow
into a forest where birds build their nests,
South Korea has successfully created a huge peaceful forest
which is widely visited by many foreigners who see hope and a bright future.

From now on, about one hundred years later,
around 2110
Korean youngsters will achieve peace in Asia.
You are the ones who will make the day of peace as Asia Peacemaker.