Sunday, March 20, 2005

"Daemado is ours!" sign in Sokcho

Background (for my mother or Canadian friends or people in Korea who just crawled out of a hole): Recently, a prefecture in Japan announced a new Named Day on the calendar (Like Secretary's day...not exactly a bank holiday). The day would be in honour of Takeshima and encourage Japanese interest in and ownership of Take Island. However, Dok-do ( The Korean name) has been in Korean hands for a long time. Who had it first, I don't know. The Koreans are more than a little upset. They currently, uhh, own, possess, control the island with a small police force on the island. Nobody cares too much about the island itself but the fishing grounds around it are important. Two days ago, the Korean city of Masan announced a new Named Day: Daema-do Day. About 600 years ago, a fleet left Masan and took over the Japanese island of Tsushima (Korean: Daema-do). Tsushima is currently a Japanese Island.

I saw this sign this morning. It says "Dok-do is ours. Daema-do is ours, too!" The sign includes advertising for Bu-bu Hairstylists (I fuzzed out most of the number) so I guess the sign represents their opinion. And that they feel their opinion is common enough to make them attractive to customers.


Daemado fever is spreading! Posted by Hello

When I heard about Masan planning a 'Daemado Day', I was a little amused. Seeing this sign here, a long way from Masan, geographically and economically, I am beginning to feel concern. It's too easy for a foriegner to sit back and enjoy the strange goings on in a foriegn country. I don't think that I can get directly involved in the whole Dok-do-Takeshima debate (I feel the Daemado-Tsushima aspect is only a tit-for-tat phenomenom. Dok-do is the important one), but I should try to get more involved in Korea in general.

Anyway, the day after Masan announced Daemado Day, many foriegn bloggers complained about the childish behavior of Koreans. However, the Korean National government has asked Masan to calm down and consider cancelling Daemado Day. The Japanese National government has not done this thing. It's possible that Korea is trying to do the right thing this time.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm a Japanese.I'm very interested in the Takeshima-Dokdo debate and in how foreigners think about this problem.
So,I red your article very interestingly.Which country do you think Takeshima(Dokdo) belongs to??

Anonymous said...

It's nothing regarding to Korean Nationalism. But Historically Korean " Chosun Dynasty" did claimed Daemado as part of Korean land. Regarding to Dokto and Daemado Historically it belonged to Koreans and land of Korea.

Anonymous said...

Some day Daemado will come back to Korea when two Koreas get reunited.
Historically and geographically Daemado is closer to Korea land. Period. Japan tries to steal Korea again, but this time it will not be that easy. It is not the beginning of 19th century anymore.

kwandongbrian said...

I don't have an informed opinion on daemado or dokdo. I really only hear Korea's side and have not investigated Japan's claims. I suppose fo convenience I would say Dokdo is Korean and Tsushima (Daemado) is Japanese - this is based only on who currently controls these islands.

Oh, Hans Island is Canadian!!!!

Anonymous said...

I am crushed between the two. I am half Korean and Half Japanese. Tough one. However, I do have to say that the Koreans are acting more childish than the Japanese. I see far worst violence in their protest (killing pheasants etc). Daemado in my opinion is more Korean than Japanese (ethnically and geographically). They even have Arirang fesitval and many signs are bilingual. Maybe we should ask the locals to see which country they prefer to be under. Dokdo, well, I don't know. Seems like they both have legitimate argument. Why not go to the international court? I think Japanese are too passive in a way. Or ill informed about the whole thing. Shimane prefecture's action is nothing compared to what the Koreans have been doing. Anyways, I really think a third party is needed to resolve this problem. International court!

Anonymous said...

I am not Korean nor Japanese, but I do live on Tsushima. To clear this up, it is true that there are signs in Korean and we have the Korean festival. But do not confuse this with Korean control over Tsushima. It is only because Korean tourism is important to the Tsushima economy. Also, the festival celebrates the Japanese and Korean historical relationship; not just Korean history. There are only a few Koreans living on the island, most people are definitely full Japanese and believe Tsushima is Japanese. I even know some people who are seriously afraid of Korea taking over the island. Tsushima will never be Korean. Even if it is close, there is still so much travel between Iki, Nagasaki and Fukuoka that Tsushima does not seem that isolated. This fight is more about pride that what the people of Tsushima want.

Anonymous said...

Claiming Tsushima as Korean territory by Korean gives me strong feeling that "why Koreans are claiming such a stupid thing with almost no reasonable evidence".

Using the fact in 1400 and claim the territory even Japanese were leaving there in 600 era...

It is understandable for Korean to want the place for Koreans because there are so many Korean tourists visits the place, like so many Japanese visit Hawaii, and starting to feel Hawaii is for Japanese. But it is totally different matter claiming the Tsushima for Koreans because it belongs to Korea historically...

Anonymous said...

im korean and i feel like the daemado tsushima dispute is just stupid. Tsushima's Japanese, they got it such a long time ago. But Dokdo is a different story. Dokdo is Korean.

On another note, i also do not like the japanese government changing signs in historical places (ex: Koreans were slaves in a particular place, but the government changed it to just "working there").

And on another another note, Republic, let's start with North Korea. People are dying there.

Unknown said...

I'm not Korean not either Japanese, but I live in Busan for about 1 1/2 years. I am a middle school student. And I never actually heard somebody says Tsushima (Daemado) is Korean. But I heard a lot of times peoples are saying that Dokdo (Takeshima) is Korean. So, I think Tsushima is Japanese and Dokdo is Korean. Well I still don't know the truth though :v