From olden times Korea possessed the Ullung Island and Tok Islets.
"Samguksagi"(Chronicles of the Three Kingdom) says that Ullung Island was called Usanguk and its surroundings were under the rule of the Silla in 512.
In the period of Koryo Feudal Dynasty Ullung Island and its surroundings belonged to Uljin prefecture in Kyongsang Province and after that Feudal Joson Dynasty exercised the sovereign power over the Ullung Island and its surroundings. As you see, from olden times Ullung Island and Tok Islets have been regarded as the sacred territory of our nation.
It was around the 14th century that the Japanese started to intrude on Ullung Island and its surroundings. The Japs often raided the coastal area of Ullung Island to catch fishes whenever little attention was paid to this island area. But Korean people never tolerated such acts of Japan. Particularly, An Ryong Bok waged struggle against Japan's moves to seize Ullung Island and Tok Islets in the end of the17th century. It occupies the important position in the history of struggle of our nation.
Chairman
"An Ryong Bok repulsed the Japanese fishing vessels that had intruded into the area around Ullung Island, and then went to Japan to make a strong condemnation against the act of invasion. Not satisfied with this, he returned home after receiving a pledge from the Japanese officials never again to encroach on Ullung Island and Tok Islets."
An Ryong Bok was a patriotic man who fought against the Japanese invaders to defend Ullung Island and Tok Islets.
* His name was written as An Bing Sa, 42 in the records of Japanese history.
At that time he was forced to serve the army and go fishing, but burnt his heart with patriotism and self-confidence. He had frequent contact with Japanese in Tongnae so he had rich knowledge about Japan. Especially he was good at Japanese and well aware of their ambition.
An Ryong Bok defended the dominium over the Ullung Island and Tok Islets in 1693.
According to the true record of King Sukjong, it is said that one day in spring a boat with about 40 fishermen from Ulsan anchored alongside the Ullung Island. Unfortunately An Ryong Bok and Park O Dun were kidnapped and dragged to Japanese boat. "Jungbomunhonbigo" tells as follows: An Ryong Bok from Tongnae was a nunglogun and he was good at Japanese. One summer day in Sukjong 19, he went fishing in the sea and drifted ashore of the Ullung Island. There he was imprisoned by Japanese and sent back to the Orangdo. (Oki Island)
Sukjong Sillok says that An's party went to Ullung Island in spring but "Jungbomunhonbigo" says that he went in summer.
On the other side, the document of the governor-general of Tsushima that delivered by Jongguan Tatsibana Masasike says that An's party had been in Ullung Island in spring. The day might have been spring in 1693.
An's party consisted of 3 boats and 42 men at that time.
They arrived in Ullung Island on the 3rd of March and encountered Japanese there on the 18th of March.The Japanese whom An's party met were sailors of the Odani family.
Only two men, An Ryong Bok and Park O Dun left Ullung Island on March 18th by Japanese ship to reach Hukuwura in Hokisima on March 20th.
An Ryong Bok met the governor-general of Okishima Province and denounced them.
He said: It takes us one day to go to Ullung Island but it takes you 5 days to get there. From olden times the island belonged to our country. Why are you invading our county?
They were speechless at An's claim. The governor-general of Hokisima Province ordered to send An's party to Hoki island. So An Ryong Bok and Park O Dun left Hukuwura on 23rd and went past the Symasaki, Unju(Izumo, Simane prefecture) and Nagahama to Yonako on 27th.
Feudal Lord of Hoki Island treated them hospitably and tried to allure them with silver and money. But An Ryong Bok held fast his own view and said: "Japan should never raise any issues of Ullung Island anymore. And it is not my will to receive silver from you." His true aim is to defend the Ullung Island and Tok Islets. Unwillingly the feudal lord of Hoki Province was compelled to inform Guanbak of the aim of visit of An's party. And he produced Sogye(official document) including the content that Ullung Island and Tok Islets by no means belong to the Japanese territory.
On May 26 An Ryong Bok and Park O Dun were to return home, and the Shogunate government ordered to take them to Nagasaki on foot.
They arrived at the seat of Tottori prefecture on June 1st and stayed at an inn called "Hoeso" for a week. Meanwhile they met 4 senior statesmen and received the way-leaves. On June 7th they left Tottori prefecture (Enova).
They get to Nagasaki on June 30th through the long journey of 23 days and settled there on the 1st of July. At that time Japanese in Tsushima took the official documents approved by the Shogunate that Ullung Island and Tok Islets belong to Korea from An Ryong Bok and dragged An's party to Tsushima. It was the conspiracy of the governor-general of Tsushima to impute a crime of "criminals who crossed the border" on them.
They were imprisoned for about 50days and were sent back to the Tongnae under the escort of Jongguan(正官) Tatsibana Mashasike. Also they were brought into custody in Woeguan (Chilgok County, Kyongsang Province) for about 40 years and released in winter of that year.
They could return home only in 90 days due to the maneuvers of Japanese.
An Ryong Bok informed his visit to Japan to the magistrate of Tongnae but he didn't believed in An at all.
The following year (1694) An Ryong Bok told his troubles to Jopwigwan government official in charge of reception of foreign envoy-接慰官) once again but he also did not believed in An.
His behavior did more harm than good. Apart from a fair evaluation of their patriotism, the feudal rulers gave a hard whip and cross-examined severely, eventually exiled him to a remote place and An was compelled to live in exile for two years.
Enraged at their injustice, An decided to go to Ullung Island and Tok Islets in 1696 at the risk of his life with his firm determination to prove his righteous action of defending the Ullung Island and Tok Islets.
That year An went to Ulsan in Kyongsang Province to see his mother and happen to meet Roe Hon a merchant. He told him about his troubles in Ullung Island in detail and asked if he could accompany him. An's intention was to confirm the security of Ullung Island and Tok Islets once again after his first return voyage from there.
* According to the "Jungbomunhonbigo", Ryong Bok was so enraged that he rushed to the seaside. Just then Roe Hen who was a monk and a merchant and others were laying a ship alongside the port.
An convinced them that Ullung Island is rich in marine products and said he would guide him there. The monk thanked him and accepted his suggestion.
Around May An Ryong Bok and his party including Ryu Il Bu from Hunghae, Ryu Pong Sok from Nyonghae, Ri Yin Song from Phyongsanpho, Kim Song Gil from Rakan, the monk, Roe Hon from Sunchon, Sung Dam, Ryon Sup, Phyong Ryul, Tan Chaek, Kim Sun Rip from Yonan, left Ulsan and got to Ullung Island only in 3 days.
When they arrived there they saw Japanese and their ship at anchor on the island. An Ryong Bok shouted to them: "Ullung Island belongs to our original territory. How dare you to invade our land?"
The Japanese who were frightened by his enraged spirit mentioned timidly: "We originally lived in Song Island. We have come here to catch fish. We are leaving soon."
Ryong Bok scolded them again: "Song Island(松島) is Jasan Island (子山島-Tok Islets). It also belongs to our territory. How dare you to live there?"
At dawn following day An's party sailed to Jasan Island (Tok Islets). When An's party got to the island, Japanese were boiling fish oil down. This sight enraged him so much that he smashed the pot with a stick. Frightened by his behavior Japanese packed their things one by one and ran away.
Following the Japanese ship, An's party was unexpectedly hit by typhoon and then on May 20 was drifted to Okisima.
Japanese in Okisima asked An's party how they got on the island. An Ryong Bok yelled severely: "I had been here to confirm the Ullung Island and Jasan Island (Tok Islets) as parts of the Korean territory and I had received document from Gwanbaek (senior official). But you, Japanese are ceaselessly invading our territory owing to the lack of strict control over your people. Why?" Japanese said that they would report this fact to feudal lord of Hoki Province and they confirmed it. Thus they waited for several days but there was no reply. An got furious and went to Hoki Province on the 4th of June.
He called himself as "Ullung and Jasan ryangdo kamsejang" (鬱陵子山兩島監稅將-an tax inspector of Ullung and Tok islets).
His aim was to make the Japanese admit the fact that the two islets were Korea's territory.
A flag was hung at the forehead of the ship. Two titles were written with bold strokes on the flag: "Joulryangdo kamsejangsinantongjigi"(朝鬱兩島監稅將臣安同知騎-An Tong Ji of tax inspector of Ullung and Tok islets and his party) and "Gisonmigyonsongdowuguygohyangnongsa" (起船尾見盛稻又歸古鄕思農時-paddy rice remind us of doing farming in the native place)
Ryong Bok sent a man to tell the lord of Hoki Province about his arrival.
The lord sent people and horses for An's party.
An Ryong Bok in a horse-hair hat and leather boots rode in a palanquin and others went to Hoki on horseback. They stayed at the Jonyum Temple for several days and headed towards Tottori Province.
An sat opposite to the lord on the floor.
Therefore the negotiation between "Ullung and Jasan Kamsejang"(an tax inspector of Ullung and Tok islets of Feudal Joson Dynasty) and the lord of Hoki of Japanese feudal government took place.
"What do you want?" the lord asked. "As you know I had already made sure of the issue of the two islands a few days ago. But the lord of Tsushima stole the document and fabricated it. They often invade our land without our permission. I am going to write a letter about his crimes and send it to the Japanese feudal government." An said. The lord accepted it and An let Ri In Song in a civil official costume draw up the papers. At that time the father of the lord of Tsushima heard about it and visited in Hoki Province and said: "If the letter is sent in the morning, my son will die in the evening. I need your help, my lord"
The lord of Hoki said. "I am sorry but you may leave now. If the lord of Tsushima invades your territory again, I will punish him"
So An withdrew the document to Japanese feudal government.
After that the lord of Hoki punished 15 Japanese pirates who invaded and said,
"If anyone invades the islets (Korean-citator) of Ullung and Tok belonging to Feudal Joson Dynasty, I will punish them (Japanese-citator) severely."
Thus An Ryong Bok secured a definite answer from the Japanese that the islets of Ullung and Tok belonged to Feudal Joson Dynasty and they would never invade on the islands.
On the 6th of August in 1696 the lord of Hoki gave An's party some food and let his men accompany them. However An refused the accompaniment of Japanese to avoid trouble.
Therefore An sailed across the sea safely and arrived at Yangyang harbor of Kangwon Province on 29th of August.
An wrote papers about the details of his sailing and sent them up to a governor of Kangwon Province. However his response was to arrest them.
Even though the feudal ruling circles branded An Ryong Bok as a criminal, he fought bravely to defend two islets of Ullung and Tok. Japanese could never invade again for the fear that their invasion of Korean territory might come into light and they might be punished by Edo bakufu (徳川幕府-Tokugawa Shogunate).
Some bureaucrats such as Yun Ji Wan official clerk and Nam Ku Man deputy official clerk in Tonnyong prefecture praised him for his righteous struggle.
They said that An was a man of merit who defended the dominium over the islets of Ullung and Tok and he was the only man who made a success of it. "Today the Japanese are silenced about Ullung Island. The credit for the success of it goes to him." This is the right judgement of history about An Ryong Bok.
As a result of An's struggle, Japanese feudal government formally admitted the dominium of Korea over islets of Ullung and Tok.
In spite of An's details Japanese right-wing conservative forces are now making desperate efforts to veil the truth of the history. They are plotting this historical fact of An Ryong Bok as an unreliable one and persisting that at that time Japan approved only the dominium of Ullung Island.
As you see, in the 17th century. An Ryong Bok and his party went to Japan twice in order to defend the dominium of the Ullung Island and Tok Islets. The history can never be concealed and islets of Ullung and Tok will remain as our land forever.
