By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Dokdo, Tokdo, Dok Island, Dok-do or Tok-do?
While the nation is abuzz over how to deal with Japan's attempt to claim Dokdo as its territory, analysts point out that Koreans must unify the Romanization of the islets as their different English spellings confuse both foreigners and Koreans.
To counter Japan's ``Takeshima,'' all Korea-related Web sites and other international publications need to have a unified Romanization of the island, according to Choi Yearn-hong, a poet and former professor in Seoul.
According to VANK, the voluntary agency network promoting the image of Korea worldwide, the number of Web sites specifying Dokdo as Takeshima in English was 81,000 on google.com, a big jump in recent years. All the Web sites indicated Dokdo as Takeshima, adding undue credence to Japanese allegations.
However, google.com shows hundreds of contents under the keyword of Dokdo, Tokdo, Dok Island, Lonely Island and others. They all tried to convey the message that the land is part of Korean territory, but different spellings can confuse non-Koreans worldwide.
In 2000, the government announced a new Romanization rule resulting in ``Tokdo'' being spelled ``Dokdo.'' Even those who used the McCune-Reischauer system accepted Dokdo so as to give a unified image for the rocky islets. According to the National institute of the Korean Language, Dokdo should be in use at public places.
However, eight years after the adoption of the new Romanization system, the name is still used in various versions. For example, the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources identifies the islets as Dok Island. Dokdosuhodae (Guardians of Dokdo), a civic group calling for protection of Dokdo as part of Korea's territory, also uses ``Tokdo'' in identifying the southeastern rocky islets off Pohang.
The government can do little in asking civilians to use Dokdo in official publications. A researcher at a Korean language institute said, ``Unlike other laws, laws related to spoken language preclude the possibility of legally punishing anyone unless it defames someone.''
She said the best way would be to promote the exact spelling. ``It is Dokdo,'' she said.
Before talking about the islets as part of Korean territory and criticizing the government, Koreans should first start using the English name of Dokdo, Choi added.