An Yong-bok - Capture and Activities in Japan

Capture and Activities in Japan

The An Yong-bok incident occurred in the spring of 1693 when Korean fishermen from Busan and Ulsan clashed with the Otani and Murakawa fishermen at Ulleung-do. An Yong-bok, and Pak Eo-dun, (박어둔) were captured and taken to the Yonago in the Tottri clan (modern-day Yonago city and Tottori Prefecture).

An was detained at Otani's house in Yonago for two months, and investigated by the Tottori clan. The shogunate ordered to send them to the Nagasaki magistrate place, and to send them to Tsushima clan in addition. An was held hostage by the lord of Tsushima clan (So Yoshitsugu) again. When An was repatriated to Korea, the Tokugawa Shogunate demanded the prohibition of Koreans going to Ulleung-do. This led to diplomatic friction between Japan and Korea.

After An was repatriated to Korea, he testified that "the Kanpaku (Imperial regent) of the Tokugawa Shogunate made a note that confirmed Ulleungdo as Korean territory and I was in possession of the note until I was seized en route to Korea by the lord of Nagasaki, where it was confiscated and I was held on the grounds of trespassing onto Japanese territory."

Korean scholars allege as a fact this testimony; Japanese scholars, however, insist that this testimony is An's claim, because he did not go to Edo where the Shogunate lived, and the Shogunate demanded Koreans prohibited from going to Ulleung-do.

As result of diplomatic negotiation, senior statesmens of shogunate issued the following instructions to the load of Tsuhima clan in January 1696 (translated into English):

1. Ulleungdo(Takeshima) is about 160-ri (640 km) from Oki but only about 40-ri (160 km) from Korea; therefore, it can be considered that Japanese Takeshima is same island as Korean Ulleungdo.
2. Japanese are forbidden henceforth to make passage to Takeshima for the Japan-Korea friendship because the island is useless.
3. The lord of Tsushima should communicate this to Korea.

Though Tottori clan reported to the shogunate that Takeshima does not belong to Inaba state (因幡) nor Hoki state (伯耆). There are no other islands belonging to the two states including Takeshima (Ulleungdo) and Matsushima (Liancourt Rocks), the shogunate did not order a prohibition of Japanese going to Matsuhima (Liancourt Rocks). In the diplomatic negotiation between Japan (Tsushima clan) and the Chosun government, they never discussed the Liancourt Rocks.

In 1696, Ahn visited Japan again. According to a Japanese record found in May 2005, the Bafuku is the investigation on Anyongbok who arrived in Hokishu in May 1696 via the Oki Islands. The document has a total of 15 pages. The fifth page records Anyongbok's statement that Jasando (Usando) is Matsushima (松島) The last page records the eight provinces of Korea. The document specifically states that Takeshima (竹島 Ulleungdo) and Matsushima (松島 Liancourt Rocks) are part of Gangwan Province (江原道).

The principal retainer of the shogunate directed the Tottori clan to send him away because only the Tsushima clan has the right about diplomacy with Joseon. According to the Sukjong Sillok, Ahn testified as follows after he had banished from Tottori clan and returned to Joseon.

I sailed to Ulleung-do and the Usando again with the company of sixteen fishermen, disguised as a naval officer, and clashed again with the Japanese at Ulleung-do. The Japanese said they were living on Matsushima and strayed onto Takeshima (Ullungdo) while fishing and would return. I fulminated at this, demanding to know why the Japanese were living on a Korean island. When I was arriving in Japan, I said to the lord of the Tottori clan that "though it was confiscated by the Tsushima clan, I got the Tokugawa Shogunate's edict that the both islands were Korean possessions before visit.　When I said that I will appeal for this to the Kanpaku, the lord of Tsushima clan came to Tottori and he entreated me to stop it. —Ahn