Dokdo, Beautiful Island of Korea | MOFA Republic of Korea

Q&A on Dokdo

What was the position of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers as regards Dokdo when World War II came to an end in 1945?

After the end of World War II, the General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers excluded Dokdo from those territories controlled and administered by Japan as mandated in its instruction in SCAPIN (Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers Index Number) 677 on January 29, 1946.

Paragraph 3 of the said instruction lists “the four main islands of Japan (Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku) and the approximately 1,000 smaller adjacent islands” as the territories of Japan and excludes “Utsuryo (Ullung) Island, Liancourt Rocks [Dokdo] and Quelpart (Saishu or Cheju) Island.”

SCAPIN-677 (January 29, 1946)

Governmental and Administrative Separation of Certain Outlying Areas from Japan

3. For the purpose of this directive, Japan is defined to include…excluding (a) Utsuryo (Ullung) island, Liancourt Rocks and Quelpart (Saishu or Cheju) island...

Moreover, SCAPIN 1033 prohibited Japanese vessels or personnel from coming within 12 nautical miles of Dokdo.

SCAPIN 1033 (June 22, 1946)

Area Authorized for Japanese Fishing and Whaling

3. (b) Japanese vessels or personnel thereof will not approach closer than twelve (12) miles to Takeshima(37°15′ North Latitude, 131°53′ East Longitude) nor have any contact with said island.