Going to Dok-do

Recently, EPIK (the organisation I work for) offered to take 70 native teachers working in our province, on a visit to see Dok-do island. I jumped at the offer of three days off work, a chance to socialize with other teachers, as well as an opportunity to see the highly disputed strip of land for myself.

Dok-do island - a small island lying fairly equally between Japan and Korea's coastline, has been  disputed between the two nations from as early as 1905. Currently South Korea maintains control and territory while Japan claims that the island (named 'Takeshima' in Japanese) is in fact theirs. 

Dok-do island. A view from the jetty.

In my two year stint in Korea I have heard so much about the heavily disputed island of Dok-do. It is said that Koreans will swear their first born on the fact that the island lying in the East Sea belongs solely to Korea.  A high school student explained to me last year, without a whisper of a smile on his face, that anyone who thinks that the island belongs to Japan, is A)  misinformed or B) Possibly a traitor to Korea. Whether you agree with his hard line stance or not, it makes for an interesting debate. Admittedly, the same student was pulled from classes for trying to set a small tree alight on sports day - so its possible that his personality was a tad extreme anyway. Regardless, it left his English teacher and classmates fearfully respectful.

So when I was offered an all expenses paid trip to the famous Dokdo island, I jumped at the opportunity to see what it was all about. Beginning bright and early on Wednesday morning myself along with 70 other teachers boarded a ferry bound for the islands. For most of the three day trip, we were housed and fed on a bigger and neighboring island called - Ulleong-do. Ulleong-do is by far one of the prettiest areas of Korea I have ever seen - fields and fields of pumpkins and flowers surrounded by a blue-blue coast lines and sharp green mountains.

Ulleong-do. Below is a view of the small town as well as one of the very few elementary schools. 

Ulleong-do. Up the cable car looking down on the jetty where we arrived. 

Ulleong-do. Walking up to the viewing point looking across the ocean and island.

One our second full day we were taken to actually see Dok-do. Which in all honesty is more a group of boulders than an actual island. Although we took a 2 hour ferry to reach it, we were only allowed to walk on to the jetty for 20 minutes. The island is heavily guarded by Korean police with guns and shields. We spoke briefly to a guard who explained that they were stationed on the island for up to 50 days at a time before being allowed to return to the mainland. Considering there is no other inhabitants on the island, I couldn't help but feel it must be a little lonely. I left the island wondering what lay up the mountain and off the jetty. We all joked that they must be hiding some kind of crazy explosives hidden in the rocks. Regardless, being on Dok-do certainly helps to convince you of its ownership. I sat there thinking, "This is our island! They cant have it!" and then realized I am not even Korean and really have no say in it. But for that brief moment I was passionately patriotic.

The police on guard at the end of the jetty. We were not allowed to leave the jetty. 

The hour and a half ferry that took us to see Dok-do.

We were also taken to see the Dok-do museum, which holds old maps and illustrations that point to  Korea's claim on the island. Although many of the maps are extremely old and well preserved, I couldn't help but feel that their argument was a little one sided.  Many of the teachers on the trip felt that if the museum had presented both sides of the Korean/Japanese argument, it would have strengthened Korea's claim and position making it seem less one sided or biased.  We had a laugh at a particular re-enactment that saw Japanese fisherman being chased off Dok-do by Korean authorities. The Japanese are depicted as pant-less and balding, while running for their dear lives. Alternatively, the Koreans look quite snazzy, dressed in traditional dress and head gear. 

the re-enactment seen in the Dok-do museum on Ulleong-do island.

So the big question: Does Dok-do belong to Korea? My opinion is that I'm not really sure. What I do know is that its a lot more complicated than I used to think a group of rocks were. There is all kinds of political history, water territory, generational heritage and so on that play a role in determining its ownership. For now, I can safely say that I did not see a single Japanese person on the island or for miles around it. I think, if only for now, Korea can rest easy seeing the their flag flying high along the port of Dok-do.

A big thank you to EPIK for taking us on this amazing experience!

Stopping for a picture on the jetty of Dok-do island.