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
An Yong-bok the two states including Takeshima ([[Ulleungdo]]) and [[Matsushima]] ([[Liancourt Rocks]])," the shogunate did not order a prohibition of Japanese going to [[Matsushima]] ([[Liancourt Rocks]]). In the diplomatic negotiation between Japan (Tsushima clan) and the Chosun government, they never discussed the [[Liancourt Rocks]]. In 1696, Ahn visited Japan again. According to a Japanese record found in May 2005, the Bafuku is the investigation on An Yong-bok who arrived in Hokishu in May 1696 via the Oki Islands. The document has a total of 15 pages. The fifth page records Anyongbok's statement that Jasando (Usando) is [[Matsushima]] (松島) The last page records