Newsletter

I made an on-site survey of Ulleungdo and Dokdo through the Northeast Asian History Foundation's first-term educational course of the Dokdo exhibit explanation from November 7th through the 10th. The Foundation launched the educational course this year with the aim of empowering officials in charge of exhibit explanation in the Dokdo Exhibition Hall under the Ministry of Education and training Dokdo docents. Before the survey, 30-hour theory classes were held for five weeks between August 20 and September 17, and the on-site survey of Ulleungdo and Dokdo was planned for those who completed the theory classes.

Schedule delayed by Typhoon Hagibis (No. 19)

And news of sad accident near Dokdo

The on-site survey which had been scheduled for October 12 was delayed by one month owing to the occurrence of the Typhoon Hagibis (No. 19). On October 31 when I was waiting for November, we heard news of an accident near Dokdo. On November 6 on the eve of the journey, having heard that the departure of the vessels was moved up to 5 or 6 AM, we rushed to pack that night and gathered in Mukho and Pohang. After some twists and turns, we embarked on the three-night, five-day trip to Ulleungdo and Dokdo

Ulleungdo: the big island in the East Sea of the Republic of Korea

Having slept on the ships bound for Ulleungdo, we arrived in Ulleungdo around 8 AM. There were no black-tailed gulls greeting us, only the smell of the East Sea and Ulleungdo's cool, clean air. On the first day of our journey, we were scheduled to look around the An Yong-bok Memorial Hall and the Dokdo Volunteer Forces Memorial Hall in Seokpo along the Ulleungdo Circuit Street that opened in 2019. We had learned about them through our classes, but looking around the halls in person gave a different depth of impression. We then headed for the historic site of the Russo-Japanese War and the Seokpo Observatory; the observatory was established by the Japanese Navy for the war in 1905, and could be reached by a 20-minute walk along the steep road. The cannons had disappeared after the national liberation, and now only the foundation remains for buildings presumed to have been barracks. We later moved on to Nari Basin, the most spacious flatland on Ulleungdo, and looked around at the shingle-roofed houses and hut homes that remained there. Around when our schedule was almost finished, the weather became worse, and we moved to our lodgings after hurrying to wrap up our schedule.

Facing Dokdo, the youngest island in the East Sea of the Republic of Korea

On the second day, we visited Dokdo and the Dokdo Museum and its surroundings. We boarded a ship bound for Dokdo at 8:20, both anxious and hopeful that the ship could succeed in coming alongside the pier in spite of talk of bad weather. The boat sailed slower than usual, and arrived at our long-cherished dream of Dokdo three hours later. Before touring Dokdo, we held a ceremony to mourn those who had sacrificed their lives to defend Dokdo and to wish for the earlier recovery of the people who had gone missing recently due to unexpected accidents. Having delivered our articles of condolence, we began to explore Dokdo. Nothing was more touching and mysterious than seeing the rocks near Dokdo and installations with our own eyes that we had encountered only in the form of models. It was a shame that we could only stay there for 30 minutes, but we felt thankful enough for the fact that we had arrived at Dokdo safely. In the afternoon, we visited the Dokdo Museum to hear the exhibition commentaries and viewed Ulleungdo and its environs, anticipating being able to climb the observatory to see Dokdo. We ended our second-day schedule by visiting the memorial tower for An Yong-bok and the memorial stone for poet Yu Chi-hwan on our way down to Dodong Port.

History of Ulleungdo and Dokdo learned while walking along the road

The third-day itinerary required plenty of walking. We went to the Hakpo Village at 8 AM and looked around Imomyeong Gakseokmun, erected by inspector Lee Gyu-won after being sent at the instruction of King Gojong to assess the possibility of exploring Ulleungdo and to scrutinize the Japanese people's illegal entry into the island. We went to the Taeha Village along the old road where Lee Gyu-won had walked at the time, but it was not as easy to climb the steep old road as we had thought. We then dropped in at the Land Defense Exhibition Hall that opened in 2017 and Seongha Sindang, which holds a sad legend related to the repatriation of Ulleungdo residents (people in Ulleungdo are still said to come here to wish for safe voyage and perform memorial rites when they build a ship). Daepunggam in Taeha-ri (171 meters above sea level) is where defense officers would wait for a returning ship in the past; we appreciated the magnificent view near Ulleungdo while enjoying the wind there. We also visited the Taeha Lighthouse, which had allegedly housed the western watchtower during the Russo-Japanese War, and looked around the Taeha Red Clay Cave; defense officers in Ulleungdo in the Joseon period are said to have presented the red clay and cedar there as evidence of their visit to Ulleungdo. In the afternoon, we explored the Hyeonpo Ancient Tombs where around 10 stone graves remain, presumed to be of the late Unified Silla era, and Gwaneumdo (Kkakgae Island). At present, there is a bridge linking to the main island in Gwaneumdo where people lived in the past, but no one lives there now. We could view the Jukdo and Naesujeon shores, the Samseon Rocks, and the columnar jointing near Ulleungdo thanks to the trails laid out on the island.

Heading for home after visiting Jukdo

We had to check our next schedule frequently because of the bad weather; more often than not, ships bound for Jukdo (Bamboo Island) were canceled abruptly since they were irregular cruise vessels. As the cruise ship schedule changed abruptly, we may have been unable to visit Jukdo; but we were able to land in Jukdo safely thanks to the shipping company's careful concern. Just like its name, Jukdo really had a great many bamboo shoots, and also visible were deodeok roots, local products of Jukdo planted in the vast flatland. We could properly view Gwaneumdo where we had visited the previous day, and met Mr. Kim Yu-gon and his family, the only household there. The returning ship departed 30 minutes earlier than scheduled because of waves, and entered Jeodong Port instead of Dodong Port, which brought our overall schedule to an end. Our journey was tense to the last, as the ships returning to Mukho and Pohang were delayed and the ports we used on our way back had been changed. It was too bad we couldn't see more, but it was a very meaningful and useful journey because we could finish our itinerary safely with everyone in good health. It was especially touching that the expedition team, consisting of people from all ages from teens to those in their 70s, cared so much for each other and that everyone took part in the entire schedule without showing any laziness, becoming one through “Dokdo”, even though their individual task was different. We are determined to prepare better programs by remedying this year's trials and errors for the second-term education course in 2020.