calendar>>March 2. 2013 Juch 102

Old Japanese School Textbook Proves Tok Islets Belong to Korea

Pyongyang, March 2 (KCNA) -- Kim Mun Gil, honorary professor at Pusan College of Foreign Studies and director of a cultural institute in south Korea, on Feb. 27 opened to media a Japanese middle school textbook published on Oct. 1, 1924 in Japan, which describes Tok Islets as part of the territory of Korea, according to Yonhap News of south Korea.

It was reported that he obtained the textbook from a Japanese researcher who studies the issue of Tok Islets whom he met in Osaka, Japan on Feb. 10.

The textbook carries a map on a naval battle fought in May 28, 1905 when the Russo-Japanese War was at its height. An index introducing geographical designation says that Tok Islets belong to Korea.

It was reported that on Feb. 22, 1905 during the war, Japan put Tok Islets under the jurisdiction of Shimane Prefecture through its "notice" and changed the name into "Takeshima".

Disclosing these facts, Kim Mun Gil said it is the first time that a Japanese textbook describing Tok Islets as part of Korea's territory was disclosed though there was a map describing Tok Islets in the color different from that used in marking Japan's territory. This proves that the then Japanese students were taught that Tok Islets were part of Korea's territory, he held.

All these facts prove once again that from olden times Tok Islets have been part of an inalienable territory of Korea, and Japan also recognized it in those times.