From "Tchian-chan-tao" to "Liancourt Rocks": The Names of Dokdo in Old Maps

Haedongjeondo, created in the late 19th century

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The Northeast Asian History Foundation will hold a public lecture on April 18 at the Dokdo Experience Center in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, under the theme "Ulleungdo and Dokdo in Eastern and Western Old Maps."

Kim Jonggeun, Director of the Dokdo Experience Center, will provide an empirical explanation of historical records showing Dokdo marked southeast of Ulleungdo in old maps. The lecture will also address the process by which the names of Ulleungdo and Dokdo changed in Western maps from "Fan-ling-tao" and "Tchian-chan-tao" to "Dagelet Island" and "Liancourt Rocks." In addition, Kim will present examples of Japanese old maps that label Ulleungdo and Dokdo as Joseon territory, thereby highlighting the falsehood of Japanese claims that Dokdo is Japanese territory.

At the Dokdo Experience Center, where the lecture will be held, visitors can view Haedong Jeondo, created in the late 19th century. Known to have been collected by U.S. Navy officer John Baptiste Bernadou (1858-1908), this map depicts the eight provinces of Joseon in relatively detailed fashion. Dokdo is drawn at about one-third the size of Ulleungdo, southeast of Ulleungdo, and the waterway connecting Uljin in North Gyeongsang Province to Ulleungdo is also depicted, making the map highly valuable for research purposes.

This map, which had been kept at the Smithsonian Institution in the United States, was discovered by Director Kim Jonggeun in 2021 after thorough investigation and research.

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