The Dokdo Dispute in Relations between South Korea and Japan: History, Memory and Politics

Among many complicated historical disputes plaguing relations between Japan and South Korea, the issue of sovereignty over Liancourt Rocks (also known as Dokdo/Takeshima Island) is often cited as a major one. Various South Korean official structures and NGOs work very hard to promote their view on the islands, which are anyway de factounder Seoul’s control. To explain this curious paradox, the paper covers both sides’ arguments on the history of the disputed land, examines the reasons why the issue emerged as a political one in mid twentieth century and analyzes why the Dokdo/Takeshima dispute recently caused tensions in relations between Japan and South Korea. Analysis shows that the conflict is a reflection and a consequence of the region’s ruling elites’ habit of using collective memory and nationalistic sentiments to achieve short-term policy goals. Historical disputes, like the one concerning Dokdo, seemingly do not destabilize the region, and yet they increasingly often hinder real cooperation. Nevertheless, local political elites continue to toy with dangerous nationalistic emotions and inch ever closer to an open conflict.

Keywords

Dokdo Islands, Liancourt Rocks, nationalism, North-East Asia, Takeshima Islands, territorial disputes

Acknowledgment

This work was supported by Russian Science Foundation (Project № 19-18-00017).

Received

26.06.2020

Publication date

14.12.2020

Number of characters

33855

Cite

GOST	Dyachkov I. The Dokdo Dispute in Relations between South Korea and Japan: History, Memory and Politics // ISTORIYA – 2020. – V. 11. – Issue 12 (98). Part I [Electronic resource]. URL: https://history.jes.su/S207987840010272-8-1 (circulation date: 27.07.2024). DOI: 10.18254/S207987840010272-8
MLA	Dyachkov, Ilya "The Dokdo Dispute in Relations between South Korea and Japan: History, Memory and Politics." ISTORIYA 11.12-1 (98) (2020) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840010272-8
APA	Dyachkov I. (2020). The Dokdo Dispute in Relations between South Korea and Japan: History, Memory and Politics. ISTORIYA 11(12-1 (98)) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840010272-8

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