----- Forwarded message from Yang Jihyun jhyang@korea.net -----
From: "Yang Jihyun" jhyang@korea.net Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2004 11:58:02 +0900 To: jwales@wikia.com Subject: Cooperation Request from the Korean Overseas Information Service
Dear Sir or Madam,
First of all we are honored to introduce ourselves to you.
We are Korea.net Team in the Korean Overseas Information Service correcting Korea-related errors in overseas websites.
We appreciate your interest in Korea and enjoyed visiting your website.
However, we found a geographical error in your website that is related to Korea.
May we bring your attention to the map of South Korea on
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/japan .
The Korean Overseas Information Service (KOIS) found that the article carries the disputed name, Sea of Japan, to designate the sea between the Korean peninsula and the Japanese archipelago.
We are well aware that the map above is for the introduction of Japan, but we also found out that your website uses "East Sea" and "Sea of Japan" simultaneously for the introduction of Korea. Please look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Korea. For this KOIS would like to ask you to consider using "East Sea" and "Sea of Japan" simultaneously on the introduction of Japan on your website.
As you well know, the name has long been a controversial matter to both Korea and Japan. As for Japan, the "Sea of Japan" is legitimate because it has been used as an official name since its first adoption contained in the "Limits of Oceans and Seas," which was published by the decision of the 1929 Monaco Conference of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO).
On the other hand, the Korean people have never accepted this misnomer, because the decision of the Monaco Conference was unfair to Korea, which then could not attend the conference and make its own voice--Korea was under the Japanese colonial rule between 1910-1945. Therefore, since its liberation in 1945, the Republic of Korea has made consistent efforts to restore the appropriate name for the sea area in question.
Until now, a number of Korean scholars, civic groups, and government agencies at home and abroad have participated in the activities to encourage the simultaneous use of "East Sea" and "Sea of Japan". And, such efforts have begun to yield remarkable results, thanks to the understanding of the international community. Notable examples in this regard are the recent decisions made by Rand McNally, Encyclopedia Britannica, and the National Geographic Society to use both names "East Sea" and "Sea of Japan" in their maps and publications. BBC, the Economist, CNN, The USA Today, and The Washington Times have also started to use both names simultaneously--CNN Newsbiz Today has recently used a map on which "Sea of Japan/East Sea" is displayed. In addition, the French Defense Ministry has released a maritime chart for 2003, describing the body of water between Korea and Japan as "East Sea (Mer de l'Est)" along with "Sea of Japan (Mer du Japon)." It is the first time a foreign government body has used the name "East Sea," although civilian maps have already begun to use both names, accepting South Korea's demand.
Following are the links of the world's leading website featuring South Korea's maps:
Korea.net http://www.korea.net/korea/kor_loca.asp?code=A0101
National Geographic http://iexplore.nationalgeographic.com/dmap/South+Korea/Overview http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/01/maps2_2001-01-25.html http://www.nationalgeographic.com/maps/updates/seaofjapan.html
USA Today http://www.usatoday.travel-guides.com/MiniGuides/Country.jsp?General%2520Inf...
Economist http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=S%27%29H8%2DQ1%3B%24%23P%...
MSN Encarta http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/mapcenter/map.aspx?refid=701516652
University of Washington http://flux.ocean.washington.edu./japan-sea/index.html
The KOIS would deeply appreciate if Wikipedia.com could give a full consideration on the simultaneous use of "East Sea" and "Sea of Japan" on the map. Given the influential power of your website, we firmly believe the simultaneous use of "East Sea and Sea of Japan" will have a significant precedence. If you need any further information or enquires regarding "East Sea" and "Sea of Japan", please, feel free to contact us at jhyang@korea.net or visit http://www.korea.net/menu/home/eastsea.html which carries various number of study results.
Please, take prompt action on this. We thank you for your time and attention. If you need any further information about Korea, please, feel free to contact us at jhyang@korea.net. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you very much for your time and attention.
Best regards,
Ms. Yang Jihyun Korea.net Team The Korean Overseas Information Service 82-1 Sejongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-703 Republic of Korea
----- End forwarded message -----
[quote omitted for brevity: summary of the complaint is that we use "Sea of Japan" in the map on [[en:Japan]], but "East Sea (Sea of Japan)" in the map on [[en:Korea]]. Since the name is disputed, it is suggested that we use both names in both articles.]
The request seems reasonable to me, but given the image on [[en:Japan]], I have no good way of implementing it. It's a map created by a Wikipedian, but uploaded only as a raster image. To edit the caption in it would require some careful photoshop work and matching of typefaces.
If someone can manage to do it, I think the solution used on [[en:Korea]] is the best one: use the preferred name of the country the article is about primarily, but list other names in parentheses. So "East Sea (Sea of Japan)" on the Korean article, and "Sea of Japan (East Sea)" on the Japanese article. (I think a similar approach was suggested for the disputed name of a gulf near Israel.)
-Mark
I have updated the map used on [[Japan]] with the naming format Delerium suggested, that is, "Sea of Japan (East Sea)". I couldn't match the font perfectly, but did the best I could. The image is [[Image:Ja-map.png]].
~Mark
On Mon, 18 Oct 2004 17:12:15 -0400, Delirium delirium@hackish.org wrote:
[quote omitted for brevity: summary of the complaint is that we use "Sea of Japan" in the map on [[en:Japan]], but "East Sea (Sea of Japan)" in the map on [[en:Korea]]. Since the name is disputed, it is suggested that we use both names in both articles.]
The request seems reasonable to me, but given the image on [[en:Japan]], I have no good way of implementing it. It's a map created by a Wikipedian, but uploaded only as a raster image. To edit the caption in it would require some careful photoshop work and matching of typefaces.
If someone can manage to do it, I think the solution used on [[en:Korea]] is the best one: use the preferred name of the country the article is about primarily, but list other names in parentheses. So "East Sea (Sea of Japan)" on the Korean article, and "Sea of Japan (East Sea)" on the Japanese article. (I think a similar approach was suggested for the disputed name of a gulf near Israel.)
-Mark
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