The Liancourt Rocks and ASEAN+3

2022

By: Sure

The ASEAN Plus Three, which includes China, Japan and South Korea, was created in

the late 1990s when ASEAN members decided to strengthen cooperation with the major

economies of Asia concerning the backdrop of economic globalization. Economic

cooperation was the main focus of the framework; it has then evolved to politics, security
and culture. Despite the expectation that a united ASEAN Plus Three plays an important

role in contributing to East Asia’s stability and prosperity, deepening non-governmental

cooperation, defending multilateralism, and free trade, the three countries remain far

away from solving their territorial problems which have been going on for over many

decades.

One of the conflicts is between Japan and South Korea over 46.3 acres of two jagged

outcroppings of rocks. South Korea calls it Dokdo meaning solitary islands, while Japan

calls it Takeshima meaning bamboo islands. It is also known as the Liancourt Rocks.

They contain two main islands and 35 smaller rocks, and are located 135 miles from
South Korea and 131 miles from Japan. The dispute in which they both claim to have well

established historical ties dates back more than 300 years.

ASEAN+3 unification is questionable as the Plus Three members have been at

discontentment with each other. Unsmooth diplomatic cooperation and relations could

lead to the threat of political unity since nationalism is still prioritized. While South

Korea controls the Liancourt Rocks and asserts an active military presence there, Japan

also claims the territory due to its incorporation of the area preceding its imperial
conquest during the Second World War. An example of both countries showing their

stances can be seen during the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018 when Japan objected and

demanded that South Korea take out the islets from the map displayed on the Korean

Unification flag. The tensions resurfaced once again as the Tokyo Olympic Organizing

Committee used a map featuring the Liancourt Rocks as Japanese territory on its

website. Subsequently, Japan refused to modify the map as demanded by the foreign

minister of South Korea, indicating that the Japanese government’s position on the

territory remains unchanged. Their strained diplomatic relationship continued when

Japan turned down a gift of booze given by South Korea as the box’s cover included an

image of disputed islands. Correspondingly, working-level diplomatic talks were held in

Seoul after tensions reemerged when the Japanese protested over the visit to Dokdo by

South Korea’s police chief. Notwithstanding, bilateral negotiations on claims to

sovereignty over the islets seem to have remained at a standstill for decades, remaining

an ‘agree to disagree’ stance on the dispute since it wasn’t allocated to either side in the

1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty. Territorial sovereignty and national identity are the

most obvious answer to why the islands are important for both sides, but in a much more

practical motive, it is also about the competition for access to lucrative fisheries, natural

gas, enormous amount of methane hydrate, phosphate rocks and various mineral
resources.

The ASEAN Plus Three framework has become a significant point in nurturing East

Asian regionalism; nevertheless, bitter relations, national interests as priorities and the

inability to resolve the conflict on mutual grounds could threaten a sense of unity within

ASEAN+3 as well.