Seoul fumes after Google deletes ‘Dokdo’ from map

The Korean government refused to accept search engine Google’s new map policy under which it changed the name of Dokdo to “Liancourt Rocks,” and questions are rising over whether there was a way to coordinate a better alternative.

“We heard that Google conveyed its new policy to our embassy in the United States, but we instantly informed the company that we could not accept (it) as Dokdo is Korean territory,” said Cho Tai-young, a Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Google, however, pushed ahead, explaining its new policy was that all disputed territory can be searched by the name given by the involved countries.

He added that Seoul would continue making demands of Google for a correction, but as Google is a private corporation, Cho hinted that it might be difficult for Seoul to twist its arm.

On Thursday, Google defended its decision to change the name of Dokdo, Korea’s easternmost islets that Japan also claims sovereignty over, on its global map.

“This update is consistent with our long-standing global policy and was not made in response to any government request,” said David Marx, Google’s head of Product Communications in Asia Pacific Region, in an e-mailed statement.

“We understand that names of places can raise deep emotions, which is why we have invested so much time to ensure we get to the best outcome for our users.”

The change consisted of wiping the Korean name and address of the islets from the Google map’s global version. In its place was the long forgotten name “Liancourt Rocks,” christened by a group of French sailors, which Google considers a neutral name.

When searched in Japan, the map showed Dokdo as “Takeshima,” the name given by Tokyo.

The East Sea was also changed to the Sea of Japan in the global and Japanese language maps.

Dokdo is a well-known bone of diplomatic and territorial contention between Korea and Japan.

Relations were further frayed following a unprecedented visit by Korean president Lee Myung-bak to Dokdo earlier this year.

By Kim Ji-hyun (jemmie@heraldcorp.com)