Japan has held the annual Takeshima Day event on February 22 to push claims that (독도) Dokdo Island is the property of Japan.
Meanwhile, the province has opened the Dokdo Exhibition Hall to highlight the ties between Jeju and the island.
Todd Thacker reports.

Report


Once again, Japan held its annual Takeshima Day event on Feb. 22nd, promoting the claim that the (독도) Dokdo islets are its territory.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, about 200 people attended the in-person event.


Simmering tensions between Korea and Japan regarding Dokdo show no sign of abating.
Meanwhile, on Jeju Island, a new (독도) Dokdo Exhibition Hall, featuring the islets’ history and nature, has opened.


Miniatures of the Dokdo islets, its birds, fish and flowers are all on display in the nature section of the hall.
Dokdo’s formation and history are illustrated on a 3D screen.
Historical documents and maps show proof that the islets have long been listed as Korean territory.


A connection between Jeju and Dokdo is also highlighted.
On display is a picture taken during the Japanese occupation. It shows a Jeju woman diver and (강치) gangchi, a now-extinct species of sea lion that was indigenous to Dokdo.

INTERVIEW
Lee Young-ho / President, Northeast Asian History Foundation
This section shows that Jeju women divers moved to the Dokdo islets and highlights the presence of gangchi.
[인터뷰 이영호 / 동북아역사재단 이사장]
"제주해녀가 독도에 진출해서 강치와 생활했던 것 이것을 기념하고 여기에 강치라는 것을 강조했습니다. "

The Jeju Provincial Office of Education is strengthening its history curriculum based on facts and evidence.

Recording
Lee Seok-moon / Superintendent, Jeju PoE
By reflecting the painful lessons of Dokdo’s history in our curriculum on peace and human rights, we aim to make our students into democratic citizens like the patriotic martyrs of 102 years ago.
[녹취 이석문 / 제주도교육감 ]
"우리 아이들이 102년 전 선열들처럼 정의로운 민주시민으로 자랄 수 있도록 독도의 아픔과 교훈을 다양한 평화인권교육으로 반영해 나가겠습니다. "


Jeju’s new Dokdo Exhibition Hall is the nation’s 15th such facility.
As the conflict between Korea and Japan over their historical and territorial disputes deepens, Jeju’s newest exhibition hall is drawing well-deserved attention to these on-going issues.

Todd Thacker, KCTV