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U.S. Restores Dokdo’s Status

Posted August. 01, 2008 03:29,   

한국어

The United States reversed yesterday its decision that categorized the Dokdo islets as an area of “undesignated sovereignty” and restored the record in question.

The U.S. Board on geographic Names moved the status of Dokdo to where it was a week ago on its Web site (geonames.nga.mil/ggmagaz/geonames4.asp), describing the islets as an area belonging to South Korea and oceans. The Web site deals with foreign geographic names.

However, the U.S. decision to describe the islets as “Liancourt Rocks,” which was made on July 14, 1977, still remains in place.

The change was ordered by U.S. President George W. Bush, who urged to restore the database to what it was seven days ago.

At a press conference on the same day, Korea’s Ambassador to the United States Lee Tae-sik said, “U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor James Jeffrey called me at around 2:30 p.m. and informed me of President Bush’s decision.”

Lee stressed, “I heard that the U.S. government fully recognized the significance of recent disputes and made swift responses. We’ll make an all-out effort to restore the name of Dokdo from now on.”

President Bush, for his part, said at a press conference for Asian media held before his trip to Korea, Thailand and China, “I have a present for Korea. The database related with Dokdo will be restored as it was seven days ago.” He showed a map containing the Korean Peninsula, Ulleung Island, and the Dokdo islets to the press.



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