William Shin

The Liancourt Rocks, also known as Dokdo or Tokto (독도/獨島, literally "solitary island") in Korean or Takeshima (竹島, Takeshima? literally "bamboo island") in Japanese, are a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan (also called East Sea). Sovereignty over the islets is disputed between Japan and South Korea. South Korea has controlled them since July 1954. The Franco-English name of the islets derives from Le Liancourt, the name of the French whaling ship whose crew almost crashed on the rocks in 1849.

The Liancourt Rocks are comprised of two main islets and 35 smaller rocks. Their total surface area of the islets is 0.18745 square kilometres (46.32 acres), with the highest elevation of 169 metres (550 ft) found at an unnamed location on the west islet. Two Korean citizens, an octopus fisherman and his wife, are the only permanent residents of the islets. A small Korean police detachment, administrative personnel and lighthouse staff are rotated through non-permanent support positions on the islets.

South Korea administers the islets as Dokdo-ri, Ulleung-eup, Ulleung County, North Gyeongsang Province. Japan classifies them as part of Okinoshima, Oki District, Shimane Prefecture.

The islets lie in rich fishing grounds which could also contain large gas deposits.

Source: Wikipedia