9월 9일 디트로이트한인회와 11개 디트로이트 단체장 명의로 디트로이트주재 일본총영사관에 독도문제로 정식항의서 보냄.
항의서 내용은 아래글을 참고 하시기 바랍니다.
September 3, 2008
Consul General Tamotsu Shinotsuka
Consulate General of Japan
400 Renaissance Center, Suite 1600
Detroit, Michigan 48243
Dear Honorable Consul General Tamotsu Shinotsuka:
It is most regrettable that Japan's government has continued to lay claim to South Korea's eastern-most islets of Dokdo. The volcanic outcroppings located in the East Sea between Korea and Japan are unequivocally part of Korean territory. All historic documents show that the Dokdo islets have belonged to Korea since 512 A.D.
Japan's sovereignty claim over Dokdo is none other than an attempt to revive its shameful past militarism and imperialism. The Japanese Navy defeated the Russian Navy off of Dokdo in 1904, setting the stage for colonizing the Korean Peninsula for 36 years until the end of World War II.
The argument of July 14, 2008 that was included in the Japanese government's teaching guidelines manual stating that Dokdo belongs to Japan can be seen as a definite aggression towards Republic of Korea's territory, and may threaten the peace and stability of Northeast Asia. Such an argument asserted by the Japanese government also offers a distorted version of historical accounts.
On behalf of the of 35,000 Korean American residents of Michigan, I, the president of Korean -American Community of Metro-Detroit, am extending an open letter to request you , the honorable Japanese Consul General of Detroit to understand that the Japanese claim to the Dokdo Islets would not be of help to the Japanese people and may further cause irreparable damage to the reputation of the Japanese government in the international society.
Now, therefore, we are declaring our position that:
1) It is an undeniable fact that "Dokdo" is a territory of the Republic of Korea. This position is based on historical and evidential facts, geographical positioning and international law. Therefore, we are demanding an immediate action by the Japanese government to delete all the indications that "Dokdo" is Japanese territory" from Japanese national textbooks.
2) The recent claim by the Japanese government to Dokdo is a material infliction on the sovereignty of the Republic of Korea. Therefore, we also request that the Korean government exert every effort to persuade the Japanese government to acknowledge the truth: Dokdo is Korean Territory. We understand that eventually Japanese scholars or historians will straighten out this erroneous position.
3) Japan's statement of Dokdo being Japanese territory is not limited to mere territorial matter between Korea and Japan. It may ignite the sense of the peoples of the whole Northeast/Southeast Asia because it is an apparent menace to the peace of the said area. Japan’s government should understand this fact, and take a reasonable action to avoid an old practice of territorial invasion. So that Japan may able to recuperate its image as a peace loving country among its neighboring countries by way of respecting other countries sovereignty.
4) Finally, please be reminded that we, the Korean American community of Michigan are very much concerned that this ongoing dispute over the territoriality of Dokdo may disturb the relationship between our two communities of this area. So far we have resided amicably together as fellow Asian Americans in the State of Michigan. We hope that the Dokdo problem will be resolved between the two countries in a respectable way, so that we may all live in peace and work together for a better American society.
Sincerely Yours,
John Lee
President of Korean American Community of Metro Detroit
