Japan claims the islands have been a part of their territory since the 16. century. South Korea believes their ownership of the islands dates back to the fifth century.
today South Korea’s control over the islands they call Dokdo islands. Japan believes that South Korea has occupied the islands, which the japanese called Takeshima.
On the surface, there is not a lot especially on the islands. There is hardly vegetation. There are basically two large cliffs, but under the surface there may be large gas deposits. Hence the controversy.
But since 1991 the archipelago also been the home for the now 81-year-old Kim Sin-yeol, writes CNN.
CONTROVERSIAL: Japanese or south Korean. Where the dispute the two countries. Why hide under the surface of the sea. Photo: AP Photo / NTB Scanpix Show more her Husband died
Now live Kim alone on the island, but she has not always done. From 1991 and until October last year, lived Kim there with her now deceased husband.
for many years there was only the two who lived there, but politibetjenter, tourists and others came to visit the island.
She still has no plans to move from the Dokdo islands, even though she now lives there alone.
She says that to live on Dokdo is relaxing. When she is there, relaxing, she, says her son-in-law Kim Kyung-chul to CNN.
Here builds China airstrip on disputed artificial island One household
the Archipelago is located around 220 kilometers to the east of the south Korean mainland and around 200 km from the japanese mainland.
It takes about four hours by boat to reach the island from the south Korean mainland. Right now is Kim on the mainland, with his daughter.
It is made namely the renovations on the island, which is scheduled to be completed in april.
But in spite of the renovations will not place more on the island, although other koreans also have expressed a desire to move there.
– There is only space for a household where, ” says an official to CNN.
OL-trouble
At at the winter OLYMPIC games in South Korea last year, flared øystriden with Japan up again. And it is because of a flag.
For when South and North Korea marched into the opening ceremony together, they went under a flag that showed the whole of Korea. Including Dokdo-islands.
It got Japan to go out and call the flag unacceptable, according to the Washington Post.
South Korea decided the day after to not use the flag more.
FLAGGBRÅK: It looks like a blue-grey spot to the right of the mainland, is the graphical representation of the islands that created the trouble. Photo: AP Photo / NTB Scanpix Show more
