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| Korea Times Ieodo Campaign |
The conference will be sponsored by The Korea Times, which narrowly beat The Dokdo Times in bidding for the exclusive media rights to the territorial dispute. The Korea Times hopes Ieodo will one day surpass Dokdo as an international flashpoint that will sell more newspapers, since contrary to the carefully cultivated government and media image which has been created in recent years, Japan was never likely to fight over Dokdo - whereas China will actually need to fight minor wars in the next few years in order to create the sense of nationalism necessary to hold the fractious failed state together.
No Chinese people will be at the conference on Ieodo. Because the rock is submerged under water delegates will have to stand on a specially constructed conference table with only their heads protruding above the water to allow speaking, and because of this only tall people will be invited. Since Chinese people are known to be smaller than Koreans, it was felt asking them to attend would be unfair, and possibly dangerous.
The President of the Society of Ieodo Research will give an opening speech, followed by congratulatory remarks from the head of the Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Administration and the president of the Northeast Asian History Foundation, who is also Korean. Another Korean, who is a judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, will give a keynote speech, waves permitting. The conference will end with a statement that after careful consideration and exhaustive debate at the conference among the Korean delegates, it was concluded beyond any doubt whatsoever that Ieodo is Korean territory.
After Avatar director James Cameron suggested his next blockbuster in the franchise might be set underwater, it is hoped the decision will enable The Ministry of Culture to entice him to choose Ieodo as the location for filming. While only two Koreans currently live on Ieodo, spending their time floating on the surface while anchored to the rock below as what is officially designated an 'ocean research station', it is felt extras could be drafted in to help tell the tale of a plucky indigenous people whose home is threatened by a militarily superior and morally corrupt force.
However, according to a group of foreigners going under the name of the 'United Nations' despite clearly not being united, as a 'submerged reef' Ieodo - which is known incorrectly known as Socotra Rock by these disingenuous foreigners who always disbelieve Korea's rightful territorial claims - can not be claimed as territory by any country under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
China calls Ieodo, which is also correctly known as Parangdo by Korea, 'Suyan Rock' - saying it is part of its exclusive economic zone, which allegedly stretches from the coast of China up to the beaches of every other nation in the Pacific. The United Nations have also said Korea should not refer to the rock as a '-do' which means 'island' in Korean, since it is allegedly not an island due to its submerged nature. However, the Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Administration has correctly pointed out to the U.N. that the island of Atlantis, which is also submerged, is still referred to as an island, completely contradicting their logic.
Korea's rightful historical claim is based on legend told by Jeju Islanders of a mythical island called both 'Parangdo' and 'Ieodo', which was believed to house the spirits of fishermen who perished at sea. The South Korean government has asserted a direct connection between these legends and the modern-day rock, claiming that the traditional saying that "one who sees Parangdo can never return" refers to the danger facing sailors when high waves allow the rock to break the surface. The rock was officially designated as "Ieodo" on January 26, 2001 after two Koreans occupied it, with the government now suggesting that another submerged rock, which lies 50 kilometers to the south-west under 100 meters of water, should actually be designated as Parangdo, which would automatically make the island Korean due to the overwhelming historical evidence from Jeju Island's legends.
Related Links
Seminar on Ieodo to be held in Seoul June 30
Korea Times - Ieodo
Wikipedia: Ieodo (wrongly called Socotra Rock)
Ieodo - Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Administration
China refuses to acknowledge ‘Ieodo’ as Korean territory
I Like Chinese
Avatar 2 Will Happen Underwater
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