Liancourt Rocks
islands that has two main island made out of rocks between Japan and Korea
The Liancourt Rocks, known in Korea as Dokdo (Korean: 독도) and in Japan as Takeshima (Japanese: 竹島), are a group of islets in the Sea of Japan between the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese archipelago administered by South Korea. The Liancourt Rocks comprise two main islets and 89 smaller rocks; the total surface area of the islets is 19 hectares (47 acres) and the highest elevation of 168.5 metres (553 ft) is on the West Islet. The Liancourt Rocks lie in rich fishing grounds that may contain large deposits of natural gas. The English name Liancourt Rocks is derived from Le Liancourt, the name of a French whaling ship that came close to being wrecked on the rocks in 1849.
South Korea exercises sovereignty over the islets, while Japan claims sovereignty over them. South Korean government's stated position is that the islets are integral part of Korean territory historically, geographically and under international law, that no territorial dispute exists over them, and that they are therefore not a matter to be dealt with through diplomatic negotiation or judicial settlement. North Korea formerly claimed the territory, but has reportedly ceased its claim, following the country's abandoning of all goals of reunification with the South. South Korea classifies the islets as Dokdo-ri, Ulleung-eup, Ulleung County, North Gyeongsang Province, while Japan classifies the islands as part of Okinoshima, Oki District, Shimane Prefecture.
Geography
The Liancourt Rocks consist of two main islets and numerous surrounding rocks. The two main islets, called Seodo (서도; 西島; lit.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Liancourt Rocks” is islands that has two main island made out of rocks between Japan and Korea. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Liancourt, Rocks and islands, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “islands that has two main island made out of rocks between Japan and Korea” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 15, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q20317. VIAF identifies the subject as 6144647636484443387. The Library of Congress control number is sh86000336. Authority coordinates are 37.242, 131.867. 3 of 7 selected statements include explicit references; 2 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1849.
Architectural summaries often privilege surviving fabric and can understate demolished phases, contested use or displaced communities. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
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Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Liancourt Rocks”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Liancourt Rocks primary sources, Liancourt Rocks archive and Liancourt research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
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This entry incorporates text from “Liancourt Rocks” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.