Like the rest of Korea, Dokdo was annexed by Japan in the early twentieth century, and restored to Korean control after World War II, when Korea regained its independence. Thus, while outsiders might view the desolate islands as insignificant, for Koreans, Japan’s position on Dokdo is tantamount to a challenge to their country’s independence and a denial of its right to exercise sovereignty over its own territory.
在评估独岛问题上，历史是关键。与韩国的其他地区一样，独岛在20世纪初被日本吞并，而在二战结束、韩国赢得独立后回归韩国。因此，尽管外人也许认为这几个荒凉的小岛并不重要，但对韩国人来说，日本在独岛问题上的立场不啻挑战其国家的独立性、否认其在自身领土上行使主权的权利。