The Dong-A Ilbo has belatedly learned that Russian authorities built a flood-control levee on the Tumen River island (?) of Nokdun-do on the North Korea-Russia border.
The Russians apparently built the 13 km dike in July of last year as part of a flood-control project with North Korea. They are now reinforcing parts of it that were eroded by the river.
This has led some to point out that by giving Russia’s claims of effective control and sovereignty greater strength, the construction of the levee will make it harder for Korea to one day get the island back.
Nokdun-do, which now thanks to silting is attached to the Russian side of the river, was Korean territory until the First Convention of Peking of 1860, when the Russians and the Chinese Qing Dynasty agreed that it was Russian. Unfortunately, the Koreans weren’t kept in the loop about all this. They only learned about the loss of Nokdun-do in 1889, when King Gojong sent a protest to the Qing asking them (unsuccessfully) to give back the island.
In 1984, discussions between the Soviet Union and North Korea on the border issue were held in Pyongyang, but no dice. In 1990, South Korea even asked the Russian consulate in Seoul to give back the island. In that year, however, the North Koreans and the Soviets managed to work out a border treaty in which the [North] Korean side recognized Soviet sovereignty over the territory.
Interesting little fun fact about Nokdun-do. In 1587, a Korean garrison stationed on the island (to protect a military-run farm) came under attack from Jurchen raiders. The raiders were barely beaten back, but not before the Koreans took serious casualties. The regional commander blamed the local commander and the young garrison quartermaster for the fiasco and tried to have them executed. In the end, the two were dismissed from command and demoted to the rank of common soldier.
The young garrison commander was Yi Sun-sin.
21 Comments
Ghee whiz. That ROK On Magasine guy sure hasn’t posted anything for a while. Whassup wit dat?
“In that year, however, the North Koreans and the Soviets managed to work out a border treaty in which the [North] Korean side recognized Soviet sovereignty over the territory.”
And therefore this is a non-story.
non-issue, sorry.
Somehow, I doubt the Koreans will see it that way after North Korea exits stage left.
Since North Korea gave it away, it won’t matter, will it?
I meant to say, “doesn’t Russia have international law on its side now?”
I think some Koreans will see this as the Chinese, Russians, and Japanese all trying to take little bits of Korean land just to be a bully.
This is sort of a valid idea.
If Canada were to occupy a small US isle, I’m sure some hell would break loose. Same if Mexico did something like that, too.
Territory disputes are valid international disputes, not just something petty Koreans would do.
Don’t forget that the CIA world factbook states that
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/rs.html
“known in Japan as the “Northern Territories” and in Russia as the “Southern Kurils,” occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities;”
Japan has such island issues with China, Russia, and Korea. Coincidence? I think they’re just doing it to be a prick.
Irredentist, warmongering Canada has occupied United States territory, at Machias Seal Island and North Rock in the Gulf of Maine (although those bastard Canadians insist it should be called “East Gulf” and have demanded Yahoo and Google change their maps). Strangely, no hell has broken loose. Look up “El Chamizal” to see what kind of hell broke loose over our most famous boundary dispute with Mexico. (Here’s a hint: None.)
Just so you know what kind of scum these Canadians are, they are trying to steal US waters around Alaska and the State of Washington. And they are picking on little Denmark too — Canada also claims Hans Island up near Ellesmere Island off the coast of Greenland. Now, Canada may think it can push the Danes around, but don’t they know Uncle Sam has the atom bomb? And don’t they know their occupation of Machias Seal Island and North Rock, being based on Great Britain’s unlawful installation of a lighthouse, is an act completely negating the sovereignty and independence of the United States? This is why we must be prepared for a state of virtual war with Canada.
For the life of me, I cannot understand why American schoolchildren are not drilled in anti-Canadian thought, and prepared to give their lives in defense of Machias Seal Island and the Gulf of Maine. This land is your land, this land is my land!
Now for the legal analysis of Russia’s ownership of Nokdun-do: It appears, as per usual, the Korean claim is ignorant of international law. The generally accepted principle is that where a river forms the boundary between states, and the course of the river changes due to alluvial deposits (i.e. sedimentation blocking up the river channel over time) the border shall change as well. Only in the case of sudden, snap changes (”avulsion”) due to storms and the like will the old border be preserved. I remember, since I am from a hick state, that the Mississippi River has done this to Arkansas a couple of times. Check a US map with a magnifying glass and you’ll see odd flecks of misplaced state territory on the “wrong” side of the river — that is this principle of international law in action.
There are also terrorial disputes between several US states. The most prominent one I can think of is New Jersey’s absurd claim on Ellis Island, New York which the Supreme Court ruled in 1998 belongs to New Jersey.
Well, if we’re drawing an allusion to Dokdo here then no… the situation there isn’t exactly unique, although the amount of nationalism and propaganda attached to it certainly is. I believe therein lies the difference. After all, the United States has about a dozen ongoing territorial disputes, but ask schoolkids in America what they think about Wake Island, and you’re not likely to elicit much reaction.
Mr. Carr has previously pointed out that Korea has a “moral Galapagos Island,” and no one can take that away.
I’ve got an idea. Let’s make schoolkids in the U.S. bust out the crayons and draw pictures showing the evil Canadians stealing our land and then exhibit them in the subway….
Since you brought it up first Brendon…
Everyone knows Americans are thieves.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aroostook_War
“It was later discovered that the Americans had hidden their knowledge of the Franklin map. A map said to be favorable to the United States claims was apparently used in Britain, but this map was never revealed.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.....ry_Dispute
“There are claims that Canadian citizens were harassed by the U.S. as a deterrent to making any land claims. “
wjk> Saying that Japan has territory disputes with Korea, China and Russia and then determining that one party is a prick (I couldn’t quite figure out if you meant Japan or Russia as the prick) doesn’t quite work because all countries you mentioned have disputes amongst themselves as well. That’s what happens when you have 4 countries with touching land/water borders that have never had a time when they weren’t disputed.
Mr. Carr, good post.
Darin, good post.
Although, I think my theory that Japan is being a prick is valid.
> For the life of me, I cannot understand why American
> schoolchildren are not drilled in anti-Canadian thought,
No need. That is what SOUTH PARK is for. I hear that show gets over $20 million a year in state funding to push its radical anti-Canada agenda.
Brendon, while you were on the topic…
ACTUAL transcript of a US naval ship with Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland in October, 1995. This radio conversation was released by the Chief of Naval Operations on 10-10-95.
Americans: “Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.”
Canadians: “Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.”
Americans: “This is the captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.”
Canadians: “No, I say again, you divert YOUR course.”
Americans: “THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES’ ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH. THAT’S ONE-FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.”
Canadians: “This is a lighthouse. Your call.”
sorry, “since you are on the topic”.
Stop pushing your pro-Canadian lies here. Everyone knows that Canadian claims on United States territory are just a vestige of Canada’s imperialist history. You must be Canadian. I bet they don’t even teach you over there in Canada what your country did to our White House. I read a Canadian textbook once (well, I didn’t read it, but a good friend did) and it only had a single paragraph in it about the burning of Washington — and even then, it seemed to treat the subject as having been justified! Damn you Canadians! Stop whitewashing your history.
I assume you were joking, but just in case:
http://www.snopes.com/military/lighthse.htm
Haisan,
Proof that Snopes is a CIA front aimed at promulgating disinformation and propaganda.
They don’t want us to know the truth. You will get 40 million dollars if you send that check to that nice Nigerian businessman who emailed you and there really is a kid who has cancer that gets a dollar everytime you forward the email message to 10 of your friends.
If other demarcation cases were to be used as precedence, the most likely outcome is that Russia will get to keep the island.
modern demarcation usually use the navigation route (basically the deepest points in the river) as demarcation point. in the demarcation between China and Russia in Armu/Heilongjiang and Ussuri, also between China and DPRK in Tumen and Yalu, most islands were given to Russia and DPRK based on this principle.
occasionally, there are horse trading (eg between China and Russia) so that large islands would maintain status quo (a result of negotiation). but the island in question is probably too small for such exception to be applied (plus the status quo is that it is under russian control)
also, it is hard to argue about ownership prior 1986 as well.
china would like to have Peking Treaty revoked as well.
Russia did not even own any of outer manchuria (i.e. 1.5M sq km NE of Korea) before 1860.
i think in the treaty only the names of the rivers were mentioned, not any of the islands. (that led to the dispute between china and russia and the border war in 1969 — the river islands were only demarcated