Liancourt Rocks dispute Japan. In 1954, Japan proposed a reference to the International Court of Justice, which South Korea rejected, believing that the Liancourt Rocks are irrefutably South Korean territories, and thus should not be dealt through diplomatic negotiations or judicial settlement between South Korea and Japan. There are conflicting interpretations about the historical state of sovereignty over the islets. Korean claims are partly based on references to a Korean island called "Usan-do" in various historical records, maps and encyclopedias such as the "Samguk Sagi", "Annals of the Joseon Dynasty", "Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam" (), and "Dongguk munheon bigo" (). According to the Korean
Liancourt Rocks about high. There are two large caves giving access to the sea, as well as a crater. In 2006, a geologist reported that the islets formed 4.5 million years ago and are quickly eroding. The Liancourt Rocks are located at about . The western islet is located at and the Eastern Islet is located at . The Liancourt Rocks are situated at a distance of from the main island of Japan (Honshu) and from mainland Korea. The nearest Japanese island, Oki Islands, is at a distance of ., and the nearest Korean island, Ulleungdo, is , Due to their location