Dokdo and Ulleungdo are two islands, part of the Korean territory located in East Asia. Dokdo known as the island of peace is 87.4 kilometers from Ulleungdo. On clear days, Dokdo is infact visible from Ulleungdo. Dokdo is composed of two main islands that are 151 meters apart. Dokdo, or the east island, is 98.6 meters high.

There were some rumors as to Japanese fishermen staying and fishing at Ulleungdo and Dokdo illegally and trying to place their complete right over the place. These illegal acts of Japanese fishermen cannot serve as grounds for sovereignty claims over the islands. Japan claims that Dokdo, a terra nullius, became Japanese territory when it was incorporated into Shimane Prefecture in 1905. Japan, in a self-contradictory remark, also argues that Dokdo has always belonged to Japan. Japanese authorities were asked several times to recognize Korea’s sovereignty over these islands and to forbid Japanese nationals to sail to these islands in future.

Given the history of Korean sovereignty of Dokdo and Japan’s illegal incorporation of the island under Shimane Prefecture in 1905, it would be futile to cite more documents on the sovereignty of Dokdo. It is well known that Japan had taken not only Dokdo but the entire Korean peninsula through violence and greed in 1910. After Japan lost the war in 1945, Korea won back its independence and regained sovereignty over its territory. The Cairo Conference of 1943 forced Japan to give up all territories that it had taken by “violence and greed.”

The allied forces who won the war were not endowed with the authority to determine the sovereignty of Dokdo, but anyhow the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers’ 677th instruction (SCAPIN No. 677) in 1946 specifically outlined Japanese territory, limiting it to four islands, and stated that Ulleungdo, Jeju-do and Dokdo were to be excluded from Japan’s administrative authority.

The reason why Japan wants the issue to be taken to the International Court of Justice is simple. Japan would gain an enormous political advantage by standing at the Court on equal footing with Korea. Since Japan has neither sovereignty nor control over the island, it has nothing to lose even if the matter reaches the Court.

The Republic of Korea has maintained their administration on Dokdo by having a police station and a lighthouse since August 1954. A helicopter pad also was constructed later on by them. The Korean military constantly monitors approaching ships and airplanes and responds if there is an attempt to illegally encroach. So it has been ultimately proved that Dokdo is a part of Korea territory.

Source: http://www.korea.net/news/issues/issueView.asp?issue_no=45

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On July 19, 2007, 23 South Korean missionaries were captured and held hostage by members of the Taliban. The incident happened while missionaries passing through Ghazni Province of Afghanistan. Two of the hostages were executed before the deal was reached between the Taliban and the South Korean government. The group, comprised of sixteen women and seven men, were captured while traveling from Kandahar to Kabul by bus on a mission sponsored by the Saemmul Presbyterian Church. The crisis happened when the driver allowed two local men to board. They started shooting to bring the bus to a halt. Over a month, the hostages were kept in cellars and farmhouses and they were moved in groups of three to four.

As South Korea was already scheduled to withdraw its 200 troops by the end of the year, the Taliban’s initial demand was only that they hold to this plan, but later also sought the release of 23 Taliban militants from prison. South Korean representatives in Washington DC requested a meeting with Afghanistan Kidnap / Ransom experts from SCG International Risk on August 1. SCG then began advising the South Koreans on ways to resolve the crisis.

The Taliban issued and extended several deadlines for the release of the prisoners, after which they threatened to begin murdering the hostages. Freedom for the militants was ruled out when it was apparent the Korean negotiators could not secure the release of Afghani prisoners, as Afghan president Hamid Karzai had previously faced criticism for freeing five rebel prisoners in exchange for an Italian hostage.

A Face-to-face meeting between the Taliban and South Korea began on August 10, resulting in the release of two female hostages, Kim Ji-na and Kim Gyeong-ja, on August 13. However, on August 18, a spokesman said that the talks had failed and the fates of the hostages were being considered.

Of the 23 hostages captured, Bae Hyeong-gyu and Shim Seong-min were killed on July 25 and July 30 respectively. As the negotiations progressed, two women Kim Gyeong-ja and Kim Ji-na, were released on August 13 and the The freedom of the remaining nineteen hostages (fourteen women and five men) was secured on August 28 with the participation of Indonesia as a neutral Muslim country. They were eventually released on August 29 and August 30. After the release, a Taliban official announced that South Korea had paid the Taliban more than US$20 million in ransom for the lives of the hostages. However, South Korea stated that they have made a promise with the Taliban that they would not make any statements about the ransom.

Source:http:/www.korea.net/news/issues/issueView.asp?issue_no=105

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