Chapter II Tokdo Became Korea's Territory in 512 A.D.

1. Ullngdo and Tokdo come under the Dominion of Silla.

It was in the Three Kingdoms period in 512 A.D. when a tribal state of Usan'guk was subjugated that Tokdo and Ullngdo became Korean territory.

The Annals of the Kings of Silla (Silla pon'gi) in the History of Three Kingdoms (Samguk sagi) records, in an entry in the 13th year of King Chijung, that Usan'guk surrendered in the summer of the year.

It reads:

In June in the 13th year, Usan'guk surrendered and has since paid a tribute of staple products each year. Usan'guk is an island country in the middle of the sea due east of Myngju and is also called Ullngdo. The area is 100 ri. [One ri is bout 2.44 miles.] The people were fierce and did not surrender, so Ich'an [Ich'an is the second highest rank in the 17-grade hierarchy] Isabu was appointed the lord of Asulnaju to subjugate them....the people of Usan'guk were terrified of him and soon surrendered.

Biographies of Celebrities (yljn) in the History of the Three Kingdoms also records that Gen. Isabu conquered Usan'guk as follows:

Isabu was a native of Silla with the surname of Kim and was a 4th generation descendant of King Naemul. During the beign of King Chijung (King Chidoryak) he became a border garrison commander and, applying an old ruse of an equestrian game first used by Gen. Kdo, took Kayaguk (also Kara). In the 13th year, he became the lord of Asulnaju and set out to annex Usan'guk. "They are benighted and fierce, and cannot be subjugated by forces alone. Better use a ruse," said he. Then he had a large number of wooden lions made and carried them in the warships. Arriving on the shore, he commanded in a loud voice: "Surrender, or we will let loose all these ferocious beasts to tear you all to shreds." Much frightened, the people of Usan'guk yielded.

What is clear from these records is the fact that Gen. Isabu of Silla was sent to conquer Usan'guk and brought it under the control of Silla. In other words, Tokdo has been Korean territory ever since 512 A.D., the 13th year of King Chiung.

Then it must be made clear whether Usan'guk comprised only Ullngdo or also covered nearby Tokdo. There is no doubt that a sea route was much more convenient in ancient times than a land route, and when a terra firma was occupied its adjacent islands were generally included in it. Since Tokdo is the object of contention between Korea and Japan, this point calls for more clearcut proof.

2. Documentary Evidence that Tokdo Was a Part of Usan'guk

The oldest record that Tokdo was a part of Usan'guk in 512 A.D. is the Gazetteer of the Annals of King Sejong (Sejong chiriji) compiled in 1432. The book describes how Usando (Tokdo) and Mulngdo (Ullngdo) could be seen from each other with the naked eye on a clear day and that both islands were called Usan'guk in the Silla period.

Another proof is found in the Handbook of State Affairs (Man'gi yoram), compiled in 1808, in its part on military administration. This book quotes the Gazetteer (Yojiji) that Ullngdo and Usando all belonged to Usan'guk and Usando was called Matsushima by Japanese.

If Usando refers to today's Tokdo, it was undoubtedly a part of Usan'guk. Japanese scholars admit that Japanese called Ullngdo "Takeshima" and Tokdo "Matsushima" in around 1808.

For example, Kawakami Kensaburo, an authority on the study of Tokdo in Japan, who maintains that Tokdo is Japanese territory, clearly states that the island Japanese once called "Takeshima" is today's Ullngdo and today's Tokdo was called "Matsushima."

Kawakami goes on to say: "The island that was called Takeshima or Isonotakeshima in our country [i.e., Japan] is Ullngdo today and today's Takeshima was called Matsushima as I mentioned already."

He cites the Records on Observations in Oki (Onshu shicho goki) compiled in 1667 by Saito Hosen, a retainer of the lord of Izumo (also called Sesshu: the eastern part of Shimane prefecture today) who inspected Onshu (Oki Island) on orders of his lord and recorded what he heard and saw during his inspection trip. Therefore, we can formulate an equation of Usando-Matsushima-Tokdo. This can also be formulated adding the records from the Handbook of State Affairs: Usan'guk = Ullngdo+Usando/Tokdo (Matsushima in Japanese).

In other words, Tokdo and Ullngdo were the territories of Usan'guk which were annexed by Silla in 512 A.D. and have since been an inherent part of Korean territory.

The Annals of King Sukchong of the Chosn Dynasty, which is a little older than this handbook, describes that what Japanese called Matsushima is Usando and Usando is today's Tokdo in the following way:

In 1693 [in the 19th year of King Sukchong], An Yong-bok and some of his fellow fishermen went to Ullngdo to find that many Japanese fishing boats were at anchor and the Japanese were trying to occupy the island. He shouted: "Ullng is our island from ancient times. How could you Japanese trespass on it from beyond the national boundary? You should all be arrested." Then the Japanese retorted, "We are living in Matsushima and happen to be here to fish. We are going back."

An cried to them: "Matsushima is Chasando [Chasando íß£Óö is a typographical mistake of Usand éÍß£Óö. Such mistakes are often noticed in the books of the day.] What on earth are you doing there?"

Two days later, An and party went to Usando at dawn and the Japanese were building a fire to cook fish. Armed with sticks, they came down hard on the Japanese, who accepted the situation and sailed back home.

From this record, we know Usando refers to Matsushima (in Japanese) and today's Tokdo.

The Chapter on military administration in the Handbook of State Affairs incorporates the main contents of the Augumented Reference Compilation of Documents on Korea (Chngbo tongguk munhn pigo) compiled in 1792. The Augmented Reference Compilation of Documents (Chngbo munhn pigo) published in 1908 has a similar record: "According to the Gazetteer (Yojiji), Ullng and Usan all belonged to Usan'guk, and Usan is what the Japanese call Matsushima."

Here again, it is clear that Tokdo (Usan) was a part of Usan'guk, and that Usan'guk covered Ullngdo and Usando (Tokdo) or Matsushima in Japanese. And these reconfirm that Tokdo was a part of Usan'guk.

3. Apellations Confirming Tokdo as Usan'guk Territory

Tokdo was called Usando and the very designation of "Usan" denotes that it derives from Usan'guk (guk stands for country.)

It is assumed that Usando originally referred to Ullngdo, but a number of different names and/or different Chinese characters were used for this main island, such as ê¦×Õ (Ullng). Ùë×Õ (Mullng), Ùò×Õ (Mullng), ê¥×Õ (Ullng), éã×Õ (Ullng) or éâ×Õ (Ullng); its adjacent islets of Tokdo were called by the name of Usando. This also proves that Usando belonged to Usan'guk.

From this, it is clear that Tokdo, along with Ullngdo, once constituted a part of Usan'guk and came under the dominion of Silla when Usan'guk was occupied, and that it has since been an inherent territory of Korea.