Dokdo Suhodae's Created 'Dokdo Day' ... Controversy Over Elevation to National Holiday Status

‘Dokdo is an Ulleungdo Attached Island’ Proclamation by Emperor Gojong Commemorated on the 25th
“Strengthening Effective Control” vs “Trigger for International Dispute” Claims Clash

The view of Dokdo in Ulleung-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] October 25th is Dokdo Day. It was first established in 2000 by the civilian organization Dokdo Guardians to commemorate Emperor Gojong’s proclamation No. 41 of the Korean Empire on October 25, 1900, which designated Dokdo as an affiliated island of Ulleungdo. Later, in 2010, the Korea Federation of Teachers' Associations, along with 16 city and provincial teacher associations, jointly declared Dokdo Day.

More than ten years after Dokdo Day was commemorated at the civilian level, some argue that this day should be elevated to a national holiday. On the other hand, there are concerns that doing so might strengthen Japan’s claim that Dokdo is a disputed territory.

◆ Continued Provocations by Japan... From Map Markings to Takeshima Day

The background for establishing Dokdo Day lies in Japan’s distorted claims. Japan has been using all kinds of diplomatic means in the international community to assert the baseless claim that Dokdo is its inherent territory.

In fact, during the globally significant 2020 Tokyo Olympics held last year, there was a major controversy when Dokdo was subtly marked as Japanese territory on the official website’s map. Also, in early September, when Japan was directly affected by Typhoon Hinnamnor (Typhoon No. 11), the Japan Meteorological Agency’s website clearly marked Dokdo as Japanese territory on its maps.

Such behavior by Japan is also observed domestically. Despite the existence of many historical documents from both Korea and Japan that show Dokdo is unrelated to Japan, Japan still uses state-approved textbooks containing incorrect information claiming Dokdo as Japanese territory in elementary, middle, and high school curricula.

In particular, Japan holds an annual event on February 22 called "Takeshima Day" (竹島, the name Japan claims for Dokdo). Takeshima Day was established by the Shimane Prefectural Assembly in 2005 as an ordinance to mark the 100th anniversary of Shimane Prefecture’s 1905 declaration that Dokdo belonged to Shimane Prefecture, Japan.

This is a local event led by the local government, but recently the Japanese government has repeatedly sent high-ranking officials to reinforce the unfounded claim that Dokdo is Japanese territory. In fact, it is known that the Japanese government has dispatched officials equivalent to vice-minister level to this event for ten consecutive years from 2013 to this year.

On July 26th, children visiting Dokdo in Ulleung-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, are holding the Taegeukgi and taking commemorative photos. Photo by Yonhap News

Dokdo Day was established to widely publicize that Dokdo is clearly Korean territory in response to Japan’s territorial claims. It also signifies the strong will of the entire Korean people to protect Dokdo and to demonstrate this to countries around the world.

However, Dokdo Day was established by the civilian organization Dokdo Guardians and is not a national holiday. Therefore, some voices call for elevating Dokdo Day to a national holiday.

If designated as a national holiday established and managed by the government, a responsible ministry would be assigned, and the ministry could secure its own budget. Accordingly, related events such as commemorative ceremonies could be held on a nationwide scale.

From this perspective, proponents argue that by having the state take the lead in commemorating Dokdo Day, it would raise public interest and strengthen Korea’s effective control over Dokdo. Previously, in October last year, Kim Byung-wook, a member of the People Power Party, introduced a bill titled "Partial Amendment to the Act on Sustainable Use of Dokdo" to designate Dokdo Day as a national holiday.

On the other hand, there are opinions that careful consideration is needed before establishing Dokdo Day as a national holiday. While acknowledging Korea’s actual possession rights over Dokdo, there are concerns that such an act might backfire by highlighting Japan’s intention to turn Dokdo into a disputed territory. Additionally, there is criticism that it might appear as if Korea is following Japan’s lead in response to Shimane Prefectural Assembly’s establishment of Takeshima Day.

Professor Seokyeongdeok from Sungshin Women's University pointed out on the 25th, 'Dokdo Day,' that Dokdo was not marked on Apple's iPhone maps in 22 countries including the United States. Photo by Yonhap News

◆ Dokdo is Clearly Korean Territory... Must Be Protected Through Continued Interest

In this regard, experts expressed concern about the spread of distorted perceptions of Dokdo worldwide. Professor Seo Kyung-deok of Sungshin Women’s University said in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 25th, "Currently, maps on Google or Apple iPhone either do not show Dokdo at all or incorrectly label it using terms used by the Japanese government."

He emphasized the need to prepare strategic responses against Japan’s ongoing baseless claims. Professor Seo argued that the government’s response level, which has quietly countered Japan’s attempts to expand Dokdo as a disputed territory through diplomacy, should be raised further.

He said, "If Dokdo Day is designated as a national holiday, it could provide an opportunity to promote that Dokdo is Korean territory along with Korean content that is currently receiving global attention."

Regarding concerns that such responses might escalate Dokdo into a dispute, he explained, "Dokdo is historically, geographically, and under international law clearly our inherent territory. We should not be overly cautious about Japan’s stance but rather prepare a more perfect strategy in advance to avoid being entangled by Japan."

Furthermore, Professor Seo stressed, "Dokdo Day is important because it can raise significant interest in Dokdo, but we should also maintain steady interest in Dokdo even on ordinary days." He added, "If many citizens visit Dokdo and the government actively participates, we will be able to protect this precious Korean territory."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.