WHO omits Dokdo from map of Korea
The map of Korea on the WHO website does not include the country's easternmost islets of Dokdo, while the map of Japan covers them. / Courtesy of Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK)
By Lee Hyo-jin
The World Health Organization (WHO) has yet to add the easternmost islets of Dokdo to a map of Korea on its official website, despite repeated calls from civic activists and citizens here, according to the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK) Tuesday. VANK is a civic diplomacy organization with more than 120,000 members.
In the 'countries' section of the website, the health organization provides brief information about each member state including a map. The map of South Korea is missing some of its territories including Dokdo and nearby Ulleung Island in the East Sea.
However, the islands are included in the map of Japan, which some believe gives the impression that they are Japan's territory. The country has been making repeated territorial claims on Dokdo, over which Korea claims sovereignty.
VANK stated that “inaccurate information” from the WHO ― one of the most influential international organizations currently at the center of global attention amid the pandemic situation ― may lead to distorted views of the country.
The Korea Times sent an email to the WHO asking whether it has acknowledged the omission and plans to modify the maps. The organization responded that it is currently adjusting the countries section to use flags instead of maps.
VANK said it had not received any response after months of sending letters of protest to the organization and encouraging citizens to follow suit.
“I'm furious that they have been ignoring us for more than seven months. We have been submitting official letters using the feedback form offered on their website. I don't understand why the WHO has feedback channels if they are not going to listen to them anyway,” said Park Gi-Tae, the head of VANK.
Although the WHO updated its website last month, the images of the two countries remain unchanged.
“It seems that they are avoiding us considering that international organizations usually give feedback within a month, which leads to speculations that the omission could be intentional,” said Park adding that they will continue their campaign until the health organization changes the map.
In addition to filing protest letters, VANK has posted a public petition on the global online petition website
urging the WHO to modify the map. It has gathered more than 2,710 signatures as of 1 p.m., Tuesday.
Dokdo is an uninhabited pair of rocky islets in the East Sea, over which South Korea has had effective control since its liberation from Japanese colonial occupation in 1945. But Japan has been making repeated territorial claims, leading to diplomatic feuds between the two countries.