Yun Yeongha, The Man Who Shouts for Dokdo in Osaka
윤영하 할아버지, 오사카에서 독도를 외치다
“Send the Japanese pamphlet on Dokdo.”
A letter sent from Japan to South Korea in March 2013.
“Send 200 more pamphlets on Dokdo.”
“300 more pamphlets on Dokdo, please.”
The letters continued.
The writer of these letters is Yoon Yongha, a Korean expat living in Osaka.
Yun Yeongha was born during the Japanese occupation of Korea in Gangjin, South Jeolla Province. Right after the country‘s liberation in 1949, he emigrated to Japan.
One day, in 2005, a newspaper article caught his eye.
Shimane Prefecture General Assembly
Submission for the recognition of February 22 as “Takeshima Island[Dokdo] Day”
Shortly after, right-wing-leaning national Japanese textbooks were published stating that Dokdo is Japanese territory and that South Korea is illegally occupying the islets.
The thought of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren learning this sent shivers down Yun’s spine.
“The government needs to do something about this.”
Yun started a Dokdo movement and studied the topic day and night. He arrived at six core points. These are the six truths of Dokdo.
- Learn the history of Dokdo/Takeshima
1. In January 1696, the Tokugawa Shogunate found the Dokdo not part of Japanese territory and ordered Japanese fishermen to stay away, thus resolving the issue.
2. In 1877, during the Meiji Year 10 land registration compilation, Japan’s Daijokan (Great Council of State) determined that Dokdo and the surrounding islets were not Japanese territory.
3. In October 1910, Emperor Gojong of the Korean Empire enacted edict no. 41, appointing a governor to govern the island of Dokdo.
4. On February 2, 1905, the Katsura Local Cabinet declared Takeshima to belong to no country. As such, it would be incorporated into the Shimane Prefecture and used to monitor Russian military activity.
5. In January 1946, the GHQ (General Headquarters of the Allied Powers) enacted the Cairo Declaration and excluded Takeshima (Dokdo) from Japanese territory, allowing Koreans to access and farm the island freely.
6. In March 2005, Shiname Prefecture established February 22 as “Takemshima Day.” The prefecture states that South Korea had seized the land by force. The prefecture conceals and distorts the facts stated above by repeating the false rhetoric made 100 years prior by the prefecture and suggests that Japan reclaim the land.
Yun decided to teach the Japanese about how Dokdo was South Korean territory. He attempted to write articles and advertisements for Japanese media. Japan not only did not admit to these facts but also did not report them truthfully.
This need to tell others the truth of Dokdo led Yun to the streets of Osaka.Yun introduced himself as an anonymous elderly Korean expat and asked people to reconsider “Takeshima Day.”
When news articles or broadcasts stated incorrect information about the island, he sent letters of protest.Although Yun’s letters were never covered in the news, this did not deter him.
Yun had two lifelong dreams.One was to put up a rooftop billboard letting people in Japan know the truth about Dokdo, and the other was to create a reference library dedicated to the history of Dokdo.
Yun’s dream came true at age 93 when he was selected to visit South Korea.
He never thought that either of these would happen in his lifetime.
But when on the path of teaching others the truth about Dokdo’s history, there is no stopping.
The 7th Annual Dokdo Peace Prize was held in Korea in 2019.The third-place winner was Yun Yeongha.Unfortunately, he was ill at the time and unable to attend. Instead, he relayed the following message:
Those holding Korean citizenship must be the ones studying the history of Dokdoand make sure the Japanese understand its true history.Is it not the duty of every Korean living in Japan?
In March 2020, Yeongha printed an ad in a Japanese magazine using some of the funds he received from winning the prize.Yun Yeongha’s passionate efforts for the movement ended with this ad.
“The Koreans who live in Japan todaywill unfortunately be taught that Dokdo is Japanese land.It is my wish that both Koreans and Japanese are taught its correct history.”-Yun Yeongha (1926-2020)
A letter sent from Japan to South Korea in March 2013.
“Send 200 more pamphlets on Dokdo.”
“300 more pamphlets on Dokdo, please.”
The letters continued.
The writer of these letters is Yoon Yongha, a Korean expat living in Osaka.
Yun Yeongha was born during the Japanese occupation of Korea in Gangjin, South Jeolla Province. Right after the country‘s liberation in 1949, he emigrated to Japan.
One day, in 2005, a newspaper article caught his eye.
Shimane Prefecture General Assembly
Submission for the recognition of February 22 as “Takeshima Island[Dokdo] Day”
Shortly after, right-wing-leaning national Japanese textbooks were published stating that Dokdo is Japanese territory and that South Korea is illegally occupying the islets.
The thought of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren learning this sent shivers down Yun’s spine.
“The government needs to do something about this.”
Yun started a Dokdo movement and studied the topic day and night. He arrived at six core points. These are the six truths of Dokdo.
- Learn the history of Dokdo/Takeshima
1. In January 1696, the Tokugawa Shogunate found the Dokdo not part of Japanese territory and ordered Japanese fishermen to stay away, thus resolving the issue.
2. In 1877, during the Meiji Year 10 land registration compilation, Japan’s Daijokan (Great Council of State) determined that Dokdo and the surrounding islets were not Japanese territory.
3. In October 1910, Emperor Gojong of the Korean Empire enacted edict no. 41, appointing a governor to govern the island of Dokdo.
4. On February 2, 1905, the Katsura Local Cabinet declared Takeshima to belong to no country. As such, it would be incorporated into the Shimane Prefecture and used to monitor Russian military activity.
5. In January 1946, the GHQ (General Headquarters of the Allied Powers) enacted the Cairo Declaration and excluded Takeshima (Dokdo) from Japanese territory, allowing Koreans to access and farm the island freely.
6. In March 2005, Shiname Prefecture established February 22 as “Takemshima Day.” The prefecture states that South Korea had seized the land by force. The prefecture conceals and distorts the facts stated above by repeating the false rhetoric made 100 years prior by the prefecture and suggests that Japan reclaim the land.
Yun decided to teach the Japanese about how Dokdo was South Korean territory. He attempted to write articles and advertisements for Japanese media. Japan not only did not admit to these facts but also did not report them truthfully.
This need to tell others the truth of Dokdo led Yun to the streets of Osaka.Yun introduced himself as an anonymous elderly Korean expat and asked people to reconsider “Takeshima Day.”
When news articles or broadcasts stated incorrect information about the island, he sent letters of protest.Although Yun’s letters were never covered in the news, this did not deter him.
Yun had two lifelong dreams.One was to put up a rooftop billboard letting people in Japan know the truth about Dokdo, and the other was to create a reference library dedicated to the history of Dokdo.
Yun’s dream came true at age 93 when he was selected to visit South Korea.
He never thought that either of these would happen in his lifetime.
But when on the path of teaching others the truth about Dokdo’s history, there is no stopping.
The 7th Annual Dokdo Peace Prize was held in Korea in 2019.The third-place winner was Yun Yeongha.Unfortunately, he was ill at the time and unable to attend. Instead, he relayed the following message:
Those holding Korean citizenship must be the ones studying the history of Dokdoand make sure the Japanese understand its true history.Is it not the duty of every Korean living in Japan?
In March 2020, Yeongha printed an ad in a Japanese magazine using some of the funds he received from winning the prize.Yun Yeongha’s passionate efforts for the movement ended with this ad.
“The Koreans who live in Japan todaywill unfortunately be taught that Dokdo is Japanese land.It is my wish that both Koreans and Japanese are taught its correct history.”-Yun Yeongha (1926-2020)
