Two eighteenth-century British maps unveiled by a local map collector on Sunday identify the East Sea as the Sea of Korea and the eastern Chinese territory of Gando as part of the Korean Peninsula.
Most of Gando, currently controlled by China, is part of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture belonging to the country's far eastern province of Jilin. The East Sea is a body of water between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.
"I bought two old British maps in June last year in New York that listed the East Sea as the Sea of Korea," said Kim Ki-hoon, a 23-year-old collector.
"And one of them even listed Gando as "Joseon' territory," Kim added. Joseon is the name of Korea's final dynasty, which lasted from 1392-1910 before Japan colonized the country.
According to Korean historians, Korea's territory extended north into China and Gando's inhabitants had been mainly Koreans until the early 20th century.
The two maps were found to have been made by Eman Bowen who was the map maker for the British royal family in the 1740s. The maps show most Asian countries including Korea and Japan.
Experts say that such maps are evidence that China once recognized the land as belonging to Korea.
"This map is based on another map made in China in 1708 which was sent to Europe," said Kim Woo-joon, professor at Yonsei University, here.
"This means that China even recognized the Gando area as being part of the Korean peninsula," he added.
Seoul, July 23 (Yonhap News)
Old British maps identify East Sea, Gando as Korean territory |
