The value of Dokdo

It is needless to say that Dokdo expands Korean territory and airspace greatly
although it is a small and rocky islet. Dokdo located midway across the East Sea
contains rich fishing grounds and mineral deposits, and also plays an important role
for a national defense as a coast guard base in the East Sea.

A watchtower in Dokdo was built by Japanese army in the Russia-Japan War at

1905. They obtained a secret information through the watchtower and attacked
Russia's Baltic Fleet. Because of the importance of Dokdo mentioned above Japan
brings up allegation of territorial disputes regarding with EEZs(Exclusive Economic
Zones) Proclamation. However it is a certain fact that Dokdo belongs to Korean
territory.

■ Economical value
Economical value
It is a well-known fact that Dokdo islet which a cross of a 'North Korea cold current'
from north and a 'Tshushima warm current' from south, is abundant fishing grounds
containing a plenty of migratory fishes due to a rich plankton. As main income
sources of fisherman, there are the migratory fishes such as salmon, trout, codfish,
and also Alaska pollak, saury, squid and shark. Especially in the season of squid in
winter, lightings for catching it, are stayed up all nights around Dokdo coast. There
are 3000 fishing boasts and big hauls over 60000 ton around the coast for a year.

There are rich marine organisms and marine algae such as a tangle, turban-shell,
abalone, sea slug, seaweed on the submarine rock, so it becomes the source of
main revenue for fisherman. Dokdo's marine algae can regard as the northern
hemisphere subtropical plant or the Mediterranean plant different from the South Sea
or the Jeju Sea. Dokdo's ecosystem is as unique as it is classified as special
independent ecosystem. Fur seal and gull's egg is an attraction of the island and
there are breeding places of Storm-Petrel, designated as a precious natural treasure
336th, sum bird, Laruscrassirostris.

■ Military and Oceanography Value

Military and Oceanography Value
Dokdo's military value was shown fully at The 'Dong Sea Fight' During the Russia-
Japan War, in 1905. At that time Japan has been renamed the island as "Takashima"
disregarding Korean domination, On Feb. 15, 1905 during Russia-Japan war Japan
one-sidely incorporated into their administrative jurisdiction through the government
notification of Eungido, Shimanae-hyun by the Japanese Department of Interior's
decision. And then on Aug. 19, 1905, they completed the watchtower at Dokdo and
won a great victor to Russian fleet.

Present Korean Government has constructed highly efficient air-defense radar

base and managed it as a strategic base. The observatory grasps the navy and air-
force's movement situation of the Russian Pacific Fleet, Japanese and North Korean.
It can acquire easily the military information for the nation's safety.
According to North Gyeongsang province, an ocean-science base(steel frame) will
be established with the structure of 50 pyeong about 800m off northwest from Dokdo,
by investing 7.2 billion won from 1998 to 2001(Dec. 4, 1998, Daegu Daily
Newspaper). Through the base it will be easy to grasp the ocean's condition around
Dokdo. Also, it is expected to cope with studying the earth environment, supporting
the ocean industry activity and preventing the ocean pollution efficiently as well as a
high hitting ratio of weather forecast, by inputting data of ocean condition exactly.

■ Geological Value
Geological Value
Dokdo was created by a submarine volcanic activity in the period of 'Pliocene
epoch' of Cenozoic 3rd era from 4,500,000 to 2500000 years ago ahead the creation
of Ulleungdo (about 2500000-10000 years ago) and Jejudo (about 1200000-10000
years ago). Compared with creation periods of Ulleungdo and Jejudo, Dokdo is the
oldest among them.

Regarding to geological viewpoint, Dokdo is a volcanic seamount which stiffened

burning lava by a submarine crustal activity of East Sea for a long time. Dokdo was
originally one island including Dongdo and Seodo, but soft rocks were trimmed
naturally by repeating a wind erosion and water erosion activity with time.

As a result of the coastal erosion, sharp and steep sea cliff was formed as cutting
with knife, and besides wave-cut platform was formed like North Seodo and West
coast. Dokdo with the peculiar geological structure is a very important example
geologically. Lava from bottom of the sea and cataclasite breccia(the crushed
fragment by rapid cooling), come up and erupt explosively to surface of the water,
and then contact with an air. Rocks forming through this process composes of
Trachyte, Andesite and Intrusiver rock as a treasure house of Petrology. It is a rare
instance that volcanic seamount appearing above the surface of the water. It is
difficult to keep an original shape due to the erosion and settling activity for a long
time, but Dokdo is an international geological vestige showing an evolution process
of seamount

■ Utility Value of the Ocean

Utility Value of the Ocean
Baek Uhyeon(Professor at the Department of chemistry, the Gyeongsang
University), studying at weapon-chemical institute belonged to the Russian Institute
of Science, received a map, showing an estimated region of 'Hydrate' distribution
with a red color at certain point in the Korean East Sea from Kuznetsov(head chief)
as a gift (Sep. 1998, Sindonga),
'Hydrate' is defined as a natural gas containing 'Methane'(main component) and
being a solid state like an ice. It is distributed much over ten times, than deposits of
existing natural gas and it is a 'guide resource' indicating an hidden oil resource. as
well as an useful energy resource in itself. On May 1908, when the Professor Baek
visited to Russia again, he requested a detailed information about 'Hydrate'
distributed in the East Sea to Kuznetsov. He answered "All materials about the island
can't be opened to the public according to the institute's regulation. By the way,
Japan still insists a dominium of Dokdo, right?" In this regard 'Sindonga' newspaper
mentioned strongly "The most reason why Japan insists Dokdo is a part of their
territory, is to show the strategy and information from a reliable source regarding the
abundant marine resources in East Sea".
Because of early stage in development of the present 'Hydrate', even though vast
amounts of deposit, any country except Russia hasn't made it as a commercial
product. Japan stored an investigation data about Hydrate layer and then set a test
product system at Nankai trench on November 1999.

Korea ranked sixth in crude oil consumption, fourth in crude oil import volume and
Degree of dependence of foreign country of energy is 97.8% (Sindonga Sep. 1998,
Energy Economic Researcher in 1997) . With such the reasons government set 7
photosphere at continental shelf, ranging over 300,000 ㎞ from 1970, and
discovered a gas layer in the middle of East Sea even if a low economical efficiency
in 1989 and 1993. On July 17th 1998, outstanding natural gas layer was found ever
before at continental shelf 50 ㎞ away from Southeast Ulsan.

Regarding the map indicating the oil discovery points in Korean Continental Shelf,
China and Japan, oil region ranges from East China Sea, Southeast Ulsan, Dokdo
coast, to West Japan coast. There are 30 drillings driven in the vast Continental
Shelf of 300000km2 (175 drills by Japan in 380000km2) and 12 drilling among them
by foreign company were driven formally, according to the obligation clause
investigating the oil in Korean Peninsula Continental Shelf in order to sell the oil.
When referring to the estimate map of 'Hydrate' layer distribution in East Sea and a
trend of oil discovery map, from the Russian Institute of Science, there is a strong
possibility that Dokdo island possesses a mount of marine oil resources, and thus
the economical value of the island will be high.

The government must remember Dokdo's new economical value, and then must
change their attitude toward the Dokdo issue and prepare strenuously.