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| Beautiful Korean island of Ieodo |
Despite the clear fact that Ieodo is Korean territory – it even has a Korean name - China has long coveted the place known as "Korea's treasure island, belonging to Jeju with beautiful myths and ocean research station". It was first inhabited on January 26, 2001 according to the Department of Modernized History at Korea International University, but had been claimed in Korean legends for hundreds of years prior to this under the name of Parangdo. There are no mentions of either Ieodo or Parangdo in Chinese history, yet bizarrely China appears to have now invented a claim to this Korean island.
Unfortunately, the so-called United Nations refuses to condemn China's aggressive attempts at territorial expansion on a technicality – the island of Ieodo currently lies submerged under 4.6 meters of water, and according to this heavily Chinese-influenced foreign organization, countries cannot claim underwater islands outside their coastal waters as belonging to them. Incredibly, this would appear to rule out Korea's claim to its own island, but there is a widespread belief in Korea that the U.N. is just bitter because they didn't think of claiming it first. The U.N. now refuses to confirm Korea's claim, and has instead chosen to insult the Korean people by continually referring to the island as 'a submerged rock'.
According to the Ministry of Really Korean Territories, Ieodo is not a submerged rock, but really is an island – as proved by the name Ieo-do - "do" is the Korean word for island. "If Ieodo were not an island, why would we have called it Ieo Island?" asked a Ministry official, "That would just be idiotic – do foreigners really think Koreans are that ridiculous?" he added. The Ministry accepts that the island of Ieodo is currently submerged under 4.6 meters of water, "But this is because it is currently flooded." said the official.
Records show that 20,000 years ago during the last ice age, Ieodo rose 126 meters out of the water because sea levels were 130 meters lower. As the ice melted Ieodo gradually flooded until it was submerged, but the fact that Koreans call it an island suggests it may have been named and inhabited by Koreans around 18,000 B.C. - far predating China's first claim to the Korean island which was made in 2011 A.D. Some say it may even be the origin of the legend of Atlantis.
Last year the Society of Ieodo Research held its first international conference on the island. After careful consideration of the facts, they concluded that China's claim to the Korean territory was "merit-less, manipulative, lazy and unclean". No Chinese people attended the conference because delegates had to stand on specially constructed conference tables with only their heads protruding above the water on the island to allow speaking, and because Chinese people are smaller than Koreans it was thought it would be unsafe to invite them.
Ieodo currently has two permanent Korean residents who are served by a 8.2 billion won ferry which was launched in November. The 33-meter-long Haeyang Nuri is the first ship in the world to be equipped with an "air bumper" designed to protect it from collisions with much larger vessels, just in case that should happen for some reason.
Related Links
Seoul to summon Chinese diplomats over Ieodo remarks
International Conference to be Held on Korean Island of Ieodo
History Institute to Foster Reconciliation
Korea confident Ieodo belongs within its maritime boundary
Korea launches boat to service Ieodo research station
Korea vows firm action over China's jurisdictional claim on Ieodo
Lee says Ieodo not territorial dispute
[Editorial] ‘No territorial dispute’
Wikipedia: Ieodo (wrongly called Socotra Rock)
China’s expanding ‘coastal waters’
China accuses Vietnam in South China Sea row
Further adventures in East Asian hegemonism
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