The Story of Dokdo Residents

The story of Dokdo Residents
Contents
4. The story of Dokdo Residents 15. Dokdo Volunteer Guard 20. Boundary Stones of Dokdo 24. Jeju Female Divers and Dokdo 29. Choi Jong Deok 54. Jo Jun Gi 59. Kim Seong Do 89. Appendix

Syngman Rhee Line(Peace Line) Dokdo Volunteer Guard Boundary Stones of Dokdo Jeju Female Divers and Dokdo Choi Jong Deok Kim Seong Do
4 6 7 9 10 11 13 15 20 24 29 32 34 35 38 42 44 47 48 52 54 56 57 59 66 68 75 76 77 80 82 89
Dokdo Volunteer Guard

Boundary Stones of Dokdo Jeju Female Divers and Dokdo
Choi Jong Deok

Choi Jong Deoks Family Birth of Dokdos Baby Fisheries on Dokdo Life on Dokdo Choi Jong Deoks Residence Construction on Seodo 998 Steps of Seodo Construction on Dongdo Mulgol of Seodo Jo Jun Gi Construction on Seodo Fishing Activities
Kim Seong Do
Kim Seong Do and his Wife Kim Sin Yeol Life on Dokdo Torch lighting Ceremony of the 87th National Sports Festival in Gimcheon Torch ignited on Dokdo Appointment of village head of Dokdo-ri Voting on Dokdo First Pitch in the Opening Game of the Pro Baseball Season Ulleungdo Residents Affection for Dokdo
Appendix

1981 A helicopter pad was constructed atop Dongdo August 15, 1945 Japan was defeated and accepted the Potsdam Declaration
- January 1946 : SCAPIN-677 specified that Dokdo is separate from Japan
September 8, 1951 The Treaty of Peace with Japan (also called the Treaty of San Francisco or San Francisco Peace Treaty) took effect
November 16, 1982 Dokdo was designated as Natural Monument No. 336 (Dokdo Seaweed March 24, 2005 Dokdo began to accept civilian travel without government approval Habitat)
November 1997 The construction of docking facilities on Dongdo was completed
Corean Alpine Club
Jeju Female Divers
Choi Jong Deok
Kim Seong Do
August 16-25, 1947 The 1st Ulleungdo Dokdo Scientific Investigation was conducted
- October 15, 1953: The Corean Alpine Club erected a boundary stone on Dokdo
January 18, 1952 Korea announced the Presidential Declaration of Maritime Sovereignty
The Syngman Rhee Line (Peace Line) was established (prescribed by Notification No. 14 of the Cabinet Council)
August 1954 Female divers from Jejudo helped build barracks for the Dokdo Volunteer Guard
Jeju female divers were allowed to work on Dokdo from the 1940s onwards. They began to harvest sea products in full scale after Korea regained independence and continued through the 1980s
March 1965 Choi obtained the right to fish on the Dokdo Common Fishing Ground
- March 1965 : Choi began to stay on Dokdo and harvest marine products as an Ulleungdo resident on the Type 1 Common Fishing Ground of the Dodong Fishing Village Cooperative - May 1968 : Choi began the construction of different facilities
November 17, 1991 Kim Seong Do and his wife registered Dokdo as their current residency
- April 6, 2007: Kim was appointed as village head of Dokdo-ri - December 13, 2007: The absentee ballot took place on Dokdo
1954. The Dokdo Volunteer Guard landed on Dokdo

- August 28, 1954 A guard post and a boundary stone were installed on Dongdo
August 10, 1954 The first lighthouse began operating

- The previously unmanned lighthouse was changed to a manned lighthouse on December 10, 1998
October 14, 1981 Choi registered Dokdo as his current residency

San 67, Dodong-ri, Ulleung-eup, Ulleung-gun
September 15, 1954 Stamps with Dokdo designs were released

Five million two-hwan and five-hwan stamps and 20 million ten-hwan stamps (hwan is an old Korean currency unit used from 1953 to 1962)
Dokdo-themed stamps were released again in 2002 and 2004
1)
Dokdos history as a part of Korea dates back to 512 when the kingdom of Silla incorporated Usanguk (an ancient kingdom built by the original inhabitants of Ulleungdo). Dokdo, also known as Usando, Gajido, and Dokseom, has long been important to the livelihoods and day-today lives of all people of the Korean Peninsula, especially the residents of Ulleungdo, with its rich repository of marine products. Dokdo has traditionally been described as the child island of Ulleungdo by the locals, and local fishermen depended on the waters off Ulleungdo and Dokdo to make a living. Japan is provoking controversy by trying to incorporate Dokdo, claiming that it is terra nullius by international law. However, for centuries, countless Korean fishermen have fished and harvested sea products in the waters of Dokdo and sought shelter on the island when shipwrecked or hit by a storm. Though Dokdo has remained closely associated with the lives of Ulleungdo residents throughout its history, a permanent settlement on the island began to take shape after the restoration of independence as Japan continued to challenge Korean sovereignty of Dokdo. Japans groundless territorial claim stems from the post-war arrangements made by the Allied Powers of WWII. When WWII came to an end, the Allies declared at the Cairo Conference (November 27, 1943) that Japan will be expelled from all the territories which she has taken by violence and greed and, mindful of the enslavement of the people of Korea, Korea shall become free and independent. The Potsdam Declaration (July 26, 1945) explicitly stated that Japans sovereignty shall be limited to the islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku, and such minor islands as the Allies determine. With the surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945, the General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers excluded Dokdo from the administrative authority of Japan by issuing SCAPIN-677 (January 29, 1946) of Memorandum for Imperial Japanese Government: Governmental and Administrative Separation of Certain Outlying Areas from Japan. SCAPIN-1033 (June 22, 1946) was issued to designate the areas where Japanese people are permitted to engage in fishing and whaling, and did not include Dokdo as part of Japans territory. Japan continued to stall for over four years by exercising political and diplomatic leverage to change the terms and conditions of the Treaty of Peace with Japan (San Francisco Peace Treaty) and finally signed it in a more advantageous position. For this reason, the first draft completed on March 20, 1947 explicitly states that Dokdo is Koreas territory but the final version signed and sealed on September 8, 1951 leaves out this detail. A total of eight drafts were exchanged between the US and Japan until the San Francisco Peace Treaty was concluded, two drafts between the UK and Japan, and two drafts between the US and the UK. Dokdo was specified as Koreas territory from the first draft of March 1947 through the fifth draft of November 1949, but appeared
as Japans territory on the sixth draft. The seventh draft of August 1950 does not have any mention of Dokdo. The two drafts jointly crafted by the US and the UK also fail to mention Dokdo. The final Treaty of Peace with Japan concluded in San Francisco on September 8 fully mirrors the US-UK joint draft, stating in Clause a of Article 2 that Japan renounces all right, title and claim to Korea, including the islands of Quelpart (Jejudo), Port Hamilton (Geomundo), and Dagelet (Ulleungdo) and making no mention of Dokdo as Korean territory.
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General Headquarters of Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers Administrative Areas (Korea and Japan). 1946 / SCAPIN-677
1) Due to limitations as an illustrated book, this book deals with the period starting from the restoration of independence to convey facts about the establishment of a permanent settlement on Dokdo. It must be noted that Dokdo has sustained livelihoods of Ulleungdo residents and provided food for all Korean people for centuries.
Map attached to the draft of the Treaty of Peace with Japan. 1951. Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom
Syngman Rhee Line (Peace Line)

As an increasing number of Japanese fishing boats violated the territorial waters of Korea after the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, the Korean government issued the Presidential Declaration of Maritime Sovereignty (Notification No. 14 of the Cabinet Council concerning the so-called Peace Line) on January 18, 1952.2) The Syngman Rhee Line refers to a boundary line established by South Korean President Syngman Rhee to include Dokdo in Korean waters and protect Koreas marine resources. As the MacArthur Line established in 1945 was scheduled to be overruled by the conclusion of the San Francisco Peace Treaty, President Rhee decided to declare this line as an alternative that marks defensive waters to secure fishery rights and protect marine resources. The declaration sparked Japans strong opposition, but it soon began to be called the Peace Line after the Korean government announced that it was designed to reinforce peace between Korea and Japan. The Japanese Foreign Ministry voiced a strong protest on January 28 based on the principle of the freedom of the sea and delivered a diplomatic document (via an oral statement) denying Koreas sovereignty of Dokdo. Japanese fishermen continued to cross the border and fish in Korean waters after the declaration of the Peace Line. On February 4, 1952, one Japanese fishing boat was seized by Korean maritime police for violating the Peace Line while fishing in waters off the southern coast of Jejudo. During the seizure, one of the fishermen was shot and killed by accident. Japanese patrol vessels and fisheries experimental ships also began to appear frequently around Dokdo and caused disturbances in the day-to-day lives of Ulleungdo residents. On June 8, 1948, when the rule of the US Army Military Government was nearing its end, Korean civilians were killed and injured due to the US Air Forces bombing practice on Dokdo. At the time, Dokdo was prescribed as territory to be returned to Korea by the third draft of the Treaty of Peace with Japan drawn on January 2, 1948. According to one document, a group of B-29s of the Fifth Air Force headquartered at Okinawa used Dokdo as a bombing target, killing a number of fishermen from the island of Ulleungdo and the province of Gangwon-do who were fishing near Dokdo. According to reports, the number of casualties reached more than 30, including 14 deaths , with ten fishing boats sunk. No real effort to find the facts was made, and the US military authorities covered up the incident in haste after making some one-sided investigations and compensation. The San Francisco Peace Treaty came into effect on April 28, 1952. The US-Japan Joint Committee designated Dokdo and its surrounding waters as a bombing range for the US military in Japan on July 26 as specified by Article 2 of the US-Japan Administrative Agreement, and the US Air Force conducted a bombing exercise on Dokdo on September 15. The Korean government delivered an official letter to the US Embassy on November 10, requesting definitive measures to prevent the recurrence of the bombing incident. The US Embassy, in response, decided to close Dokdo to all bombing practice on December 4. The subcommittee of the US-Japan Joint Committee declared that Dokdo would no longer be used as the US Air Force's bombing range on March 19, 1953.3)
2) Notification No. 14 of the Cabinet Council
The Korean government retains and exercises sovereignty of adjoining waters, regardless of depth, to protect, conserve, and utilize all reserves of natural resources, minerals, and marine products, whether presently known or to be discovered in the future, found in the entirety of the continental shelf adjoining Korea's territorial land of the Korean Peninsula and its islands and to promote the national interests of Korea. The Korean government retains and exercises sovereignty of the waters as defined herein, regardless of depth, needed to retain, protect, and preserve all natural resources and assets existing within the Syngman Rhee Line from the possible violation of neighboring nations. In particular, marine products and fishing industries are to be under the supervision of the Korean government to prevent depletable resources such as fish from exploitation. The Korean government declares and maintains the boundaries defining the body of waters, with which to control and protect the aforementioned natural resources and assets found in the entirety of the continental shelf. These boundaries may be modified and altered in accordance with future changes incurred by new findings, outcomes of research, and/or national interests. The declaration of sovereignty of adjoining waters does not interfere with the freedom of the seas in open waters.

Korean fishermen have fished and harvested sea products in waters off Dokdo for centuries, and Dokdo has been a major source of the livelihoods for residents of Ulleungdo and many coastal towns of the East Sea. In 1950, when the Korean Peninsula was thrown into turmoil due to the outbreak of the Korean War and the designation as the training zone of the US Air Force, Japanese patrol boats and fishing boats seized the opportunity and began arriving around Dokdo frequently, creating insecurity and anxiety among Ulleungdo residents by claiming sovereignty of Dokdo. In order to thwart Japans claim to Dokdo, to prevent Japanese fishing boats from intruding into the adjoining waters of Dokdo, and to protect the livelihoods of local people, Ulleungdo residents rose to action to strengthen the defense. While under the rule of the US Military Government and during the Korean War after the 1945 Liberation of Korea, the Korean government was unable to exercise much influence over Dokdo. However, Japan continued to dispatch patrol boats, reconnaissance planes, and fishing boats to assert its administrative control over Dokdo. At one time, while female divers were gathering sea mustard in the waters off Dokdo, Japanese patrol boats drove them out and erected a sign of Japans ownership on Dokdo.4) On June 27, 1953, the 450-ton Oki and 270-ton Kuzryu were dispatched by the Japanese Coast Guard to land on Dokdo and install two wooden columns, each with the phrase () (reading Shimane Prefecture, Oki District, Kokamura, Takeshima), claiming that the island was Japanese territory. In addition, two bulletins were put up with the notifications, Those other than Japanese citizens and duly approved foreigners are banned from entering the territorial waters of Japan without prior approval and As waters within 500 meters from Dokdo are applied with the Type 1 Common Fishing Right (for seaweed and shellfish), it is forbidden to fish and harvest without permission. The Korean National Assembly adopted the Proposition to the Government Concerning Japans Dokdo Violation on July 7, and the Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Council asked the government on July 10 to take strong action against Japan for violating Dokdo, driving out Korean people engaged in fisheries, destroying the signs of Koreas ownership, and installing their signs without approval.5) On July 12, policemen from the Gyeongbuk Police Department (todays Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency) landed and stayed on Dokdo on a temporary basis. One Japanese document describes the July 12 incident as follows6); the Hekura was dispatched by the Japanese Coast Guard and arrived at Dokdo from Sakai, Osaka. The crew could see three fishing boats and more than 40 people from Korea already on Dongdo. Seven armed police officers shouted, Get off Takeshima at once. It is Japanese territory. and the Koreans replied, You get off Dokseom. It is Korean territory. After this exchange, guns were fired and one bullet got lodged in the hull of the Hekura. Ulleungdo residents felt the urgent need to come up with measures to protect their livelihoods and finally formed the Dokdo Volunteer Guard. Hong Sun Chil, former sergeant major, and a group of young people who fought in the Korean War founded this private organization. The foundation of the Dokdo Volunteer Guard provided momentum to raise the nations awareness of the ongoing efforts to thwart Japanese aggression and regain territories stolen during the Japanese occupation. Initially, the Dokdo Volunteer Guard consisted of less than 20 members. However, at the time it was disbanded, the number stood at 33. The early members mainly included injured war veterans who fought in the Korean War. Local residents who were well acquainted with the members or strongly supported the guards cause willingly provided transportation between Ulleungdo and Dokdo for those members who
4) Institute of Korean Cultural Studies Yeungnam University, An Angle of Difference in Looking at Dokdo, 2006, p185 5) Sin Yong Ha, Study of Data on Sovereignty of Dokdo Vol. 3, Dokdo Research and Preservation Association, 2000, pp412~413 6) , 19532913 , pp188~192 ,
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3) Hong Seong Geun, Searching for the Substantive Truth of the Dokdo Bombing, Ulleung Culture No. 5, 2000, p24
Boundary Stones of Dokdo

stayed on Dokdo. Such residents who actively volunteered by providing and transporting supplies were later included in the guard. The Dokdo Volunteer Guard consisted of a commander, aides, two combat units, a backup unit in the rear, a training unit, and a supply unit.7) Hong Sun Chil was appointed as the commander, Seo Gi Jong as the First Squadron leader, and Jeong Won Do as the Second Squadron leader. Each squadron was composed of eight members including the leader, and alternated staying on Dokdo for 20 days at a time. Their ultimate priority was to prevent Japanese patrol boats and fishing boats from approaching Dokdo. At first, they mostly used flags or hand signals. Later, they erected a sign of Koreas ownership to more explicitly mark Dokdo as Korean territory. In order to effectively deter heavily armed Japanese patrol boats, it was essential for the guard to fully arm itself. Hong Sun Chil had an acquaintance at the Military Manpower Administration in Daegu and requested government support. The guard was given an 81-millimeter mortar without a sight, 20 mortar shells, one machine gun, ten M1 rifles, four Calvin guns, two pistols, and 40 grenades. According to Seo Gi Jong, leader of the First Squadron8), he arrived at Dokdo on August 20, 1954 with his entire unit and spent 20 days in the cave of Mulgol on Seodo until the other squadron came to relieve them. Hong Sun Chil also made a request at the Ulleung-gun Office for rice that was set aside for the poor to be provided to the guard. Each squadron took about eight mals (approximately 18 liters) of rice and spices such as gochujang (fermented hot chili paste) and doenjang (fermented soy bean paste) when going to Dokdo to feed its eight members, and also procured fish and seaweed on the island. However, the duration of the stay often exceeded 20 days as weather conditions were unpredictable. The longest a squadron stayed on the island was 45 days. The Dokdo Volunteer Guard built a wooden building that could accommodate more than 30 on Dongdo in August 1954. The wood was provided by Hong Sun Chils uncle who owned forest land and was processed at a lumber mill in Jeodong on Ulleungdo and delivered to Dokdo. In 1954, when the guard members began to live on Dokdo, Japanese fishing boats, reconnaissance planes, and patrol boats frequently showed up, sometimes several times a day. To deter lowflying reconnaissance planes from approaching Dokdo, the guard crafted faux cannons out of wood. In November 1954, two 1,000-ton Japanese vessels continued to approach Dokdo. Though the guard tried to stop them with hand signals and flags, the vessels showed no response. When the guard fired warning shots and mortars, the vessels finally turned back. On December 30, 1956, the guard handed over the full responsibilities of Dokdos defense to the police9), and the 33 members kept protecting Dokdo until they returned to Ulleungdo. The government conferred the fifth grade Distinguished Military Service Medal to Hong Sun Chil and the Defense Medal to the other members in 1966. In addition, Hong Sun Chil was given Samiljang (the fourth grade Order of National Security Merit) and the other members Gwangbokjang (the fifth grade Order of National Security Merit) in 1996, all recognized as men of national merit.
7) 33 people of the Dokdo Volunteer Guard (10 left as of October, 2011) 8) Institute of Korean Cultural Studies Yeungnam University, An Angle of Difference in Looking at Dokdo, p201 9) It was generally accepted that 33 Ulleungdo residents formed the Volunteer Guard on April 20, 1953 and remained dedicated to the protection of Dokdo until December 30, 1956 when the Ulleungdo maritime police took over the duties. However, some scholars have recently questioned the period and the number of participants.
Presently, a stone post engraved with (literally meaning Korean territory) stands near the highest peak of Dongdo. Though many may take the stone and its obvious message for granted, there have been many twists and turns for this small post to be able to stand firmly on Dokdo. It was Korea that first erected a sign of ownership on Dokdo. In 1947 during the rule of the US Military Government, a post inscribed with (Joseon, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Ulleung-gun, Nam-myeon, Dokdo) was installed on Mongdol Beach on the western end of Dongdo on August 29. The post was proposed by the then Gyeongsangbuk-do governor Choi Hi Song, approved by Minister An Jae Hong of Civil Affairs of the Interim Government, and funded by Chairperson Song Seok Ha of the Corean Alpine Club (then called the Joseon Alpine Club). This post was later lost during a storm.10) On June 8, 1948, also during the rule of the US Military Government, a number of Korean fishermen were killed and injured as the US Air Force dropped bombs on Dokdo during a bombing exercise. One document states that fishermen from Ulleungdo and Gangwon-do were fishing around Dokdo when a group of B-29s from the Fifth Air Force headquartered at Okinawa conducted a bombing exercise. During the bombing, 14 were killed or declared missing, six were severely or slightly injured, and four ships were destroyed. This incident was hastily covered up after the US Military Government conducted its own investigation and decided on compensation. On June 8, 1950, right before the outbreak of the Korean War, the Memorial Honoring Fishermen Shipwrecked on Dokdo was erected in the presence of then Gyeongsangbuk-do governor Jo Jae Cheon and many Ulleungdo residents. It serves the dual purpose of a memorial and a boundary stone as the inscription on the backside states that it was erected to make it clearer to Japan that Dokdo is Korean territory, while also comforting the spirits of shipwrecked fishermen. Korea-Japan conflicts over the ownership signs on Dokdo began to surface in full when Japan took advantage of Koreas inability to remain focused on Dokdo during the rule of the US Military Government and the Korean War after national liberation. Japan erected a sign of its own claim of ownership on the island. On June 27, 1953, the Shimane Prefecture and Japanese Coast Guard jointly conducted an investigation of Dokdo and nearby waters and ordered six Korean female divers who were working there at the time to leave immediately. Then, they erected a wooden column reading (Shimane Prefecture, Oki District, Kokamura, Takeshima). Policemen from the Gyeongbuk Police Department landed on Dokdo and took down the column on July 12. Since then, the two countries have repeatedly erected signs of ownership and demolished each others. On October 15, 1953, the Corean Alpine Club members erected a granite post engraved with (Dokdo) LIANCOURT. Two patrol boats of the Japanese Maritime Safety Agency landed on Dokdo on October 23, demolished the post, and erected their own for the fourth time. On May 18, 1954, the members of the Dokdo Volunteer Guard summoned the late Han Jin Ho, reputed to be Ullengdos best calligrapher, and asked him to write the phrase (literally meaning Korean territory). Hans work was then engraved on a stone post.11) On August 24, Gyeongsangbuk-do also erected a stone post engraved with the phrase (literally meaning Boundary Stone for Dokdo, Ulleung-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea) on the southeastern side of Dokdos Dongdo. On August 28, the Dokdo Volunteer Guard erected another stone post engraved with the same phrase on Mongdol Beach on the western end of Dongdo and reasserted its mission to protect the island. The signs of Koreas ownership presently standing on Dokdo, including the Memorial Honoring Fishermen Shipwrecked on Dokdo and the stone post erected by the Dokdo Volunteer Guard, was erected by the provincial government of Gyeongsangbuk-do on August 15, 2005 in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of liberation from Japanese rule to replace the ones destroyed by Japan and swept away by storms.
10) Lee Jeong Hun, Protecting Dokdos Natural Environment: An Island with a Neglected History, Weekly Donga No. 494, The Dong-A Ilbo, July 19, 2005. pp92~94 11) As recounted by Jeong Won Do, former leader of the Second Squadron of the Dokdo Volunteer Guard
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Jeju Female Divers and Dokdo

The symposium on Female Divers Working on Dokdo and the Anti-Japanese Movement held at the Haenyeo Museum on June 9, 2009 revealed that Jeju female divers who came to Dokdo to harvest sea mustard in the 1950s also helped with the Dokdo Volunteer Guard. When the guard barracks were being built on Dongdo in August 1954, lumber transported from Jeo-dong on Ulleungdo were unloaded into the sea from the boat. Female divers helped retrieve the lumber that sank to the bottom of the sea and bring them ashore. According to documents preserved at the Haenyeo Museum, Jeju female divers first began to work on Dokdo in the 1940s, close to the end of the Japanese occupation. After the restoration of independence, Korean ship owners hired female divers to harvest sea mustard in full scale. Initially, the number of female divers working on Dokdo was no more than ten, but it rose to 20-40 in the late 1950s. From the early 1980s onwards, the number began to dwindle. At the time, recruiters went to Jejudo before the start of a fishing season and gathered female divers willing to work in other regions. Such female divers were taken to different coastal towns by ship, including Busan, Ulsan, Gunsan, and of course, the islands of Ulleungdo and Dokdo. Female divers from Jeju who worked on Ulleungdo and Dokdo can be categorized into three groups. The first group consists of those brought in by the Japanese before the restoration of independence. This group was recruited and hired by the Japanese and went to Dokdo via Ulleungdo. The marine products harvested by them were entirely exported to Japan. The second group refers to those who came to the island after the restoration of independence in the 1950s. They were hired by professional recruiters and numbered between 20 and 40. The third group refers to the female divers who first crossed into the mainland from Jejudo and then to Ulleungdo. They were found to have stayed on Ulleungdo only and worked in waters off Ulleungdo.12) Though the duration of their stay on Dokdo was limited to fishing seasons, it is still significant that 20-40 Korean people continued to occupy Dokdo and make a living there after the end of Japanese rule. Until 1956 when the Ulleung Federation of Fisheries Cooperative began to exercise the exclusive right to harvest Dokdo sea mustard, anybody around Dokdo could freely gather sea mustard. From 1956, individual fishermen were allowed to bid for the right to operate the Dokdo Common Fishing Ground and harvest sea mustard on a much greater scale. As such, the number of female divers hired also rose substantially to 30-40 from no more than ten in the past. Jeju female divers came to Dokdo for the purpose of harvesting sea mustard, and sea mustard harvesting formed the core of livelihoods on Dokdo. Sea mustard harvesting on Dokdo started in March and lasted until May to June. Female divers were required to spread gathered products on rocks and sundry them. Dried sea mustard was then wrapped in cloth, stored in warehouses, and shipped to Ulleungdo. It took about ten hours from Ulleungdo to Dokdo by ship, and thus divers had to stay on the island for days after they landed. They used caves near Mulgol and Tanggeonbong on Seodo as lodging. Sea mustard was by far the main product of Dokdo in the 1950s and 1960s, but female divers came to depend on a wider range of marine products such as top shells, abalones, and octopus in the 1970s and 1980s. Although Jeju female divers stayed on Dokdo only during fishing seasons, they undoubtedly contributed much to the creation of a civilian settlement on Dokdo through regularly spending 2-3 months, and sometimes as long as 4-5 months, at a time to harvest marine products.
Choi Jong Deok

Choi Jong Deok, the First Permanent Resident on Dokdo Choi Jong Deok, originally a resident of Ulleungdo, began to work in the fisheries around Dokdo in 1965 and moved his address of residency to Dokdo in 1981. After that time, he spent the rest of his life on the island. What led Choi to put down his roots on Dokdo, which was an unmanned island at the time? In the 1960s, only female divers hired to harvest sea mustard stayed on the island on a temporary basis, and thus there were no facilities or infrastructure essential for a long-term stay. Drinking water was a rarity, and no decent accommodation was available. Choi decided to stay on Dokdo despite such disadvantages because of the right to operate the Dokdo Common Fishing Ground of the Dodong Fishing Village Cooperative. The Dokdo Common Fishing Ground, under the supervision of the Fishing Village Cooperative of Dodong-ri, Ulleung-gun, began to provide fishing rights to private fishermen through the annual bid in 1957. At the time, the fishing right was obtained by different fishermen every year. In 1965, Choi purchased the fishing right and exercised it for 22 years.13) In 1987, Choi passed away and his son-in-law Jo Jun Gi inherited the right to operate the fishing ground. Since 1991, the fishing ground has been operated by the Dodong Fishing Village Cooperative. Choi was just an ordinary fisherman trying to feed his family through his work at the time he made the deal. At first, he simply frequented Dokdo expecting greater yields. However, after witnessing Japans continued attempt to claim Dokdo and hearing its groundless, scandalous statements, he realized the significance of Dokdo and moved his address of residency to Dokdo, saying he would prove to Japan that it is Korean territory occupied by a Korean resident. Choi Jong Deok, who first made a living by harvesting sea mustard, abalones, and top shells, later undertook the marine product farming business and built a house on Seodo. He retained one powered vessel and two non-powered vessels and hired boatmen and female divers. He lived with the staff and his daughter in the house on Seodo and worked together. A series of facilities were necessary in order to live on Dokdo. The most imperative project was building accommodations. Choi, who had worked on Dokdo for a long time and knew his way around the island, spotted a safe place to build his home. Today, this spot is home to the Fishermans Lodge, which serves as emergency shelter for fishermen. In the early days, female divers used to stay in the small cave where Mulgol is located, but it was susceptible to flooding when the waves were high and thus unsuitable to stay for an extended period of time. That is why Choi built that slate roof house. However, as his house was located on the completely opposite side from Mulgol, Dokdos only source of drinking water, access to clean drinking water became an issue. In order to reach Mulgol, he needed to take a boat or climb over a mountain. He could not draw water and carry it home unless the sea was calm, and he had to walk all the way to Mulgol to do laundry or bathe. As a solution, he built the steps connecting his house to Mulgol to carry water home regardless of weather conditions and wave height, and later installed a duct from Mulgol to his house over the mountain. After fully moving to Dokdo, he made a dock in front of his residence to berth boats. A refrigerated storage unit, an underwater storage system, and octopus drying racks were added, as well as telephone lines connecting the two islets of Dongdo and Seodo. Choi not only built his own
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13) Gyeongsangbuk-do, Guardians of Dokdo, p196 12) Gyeongsangbuk-do, Guardians of Dokdo, 2009, pp157~171
Kim Seong Do
home on Seodo, but also contributed greatly to the construction of the helicopter pad, the water tank, and the steps on Dongdo where policemen on guard duty stayed. In recognition of such accomplishments, he was selected by the Korean Association of Individuals with Great Creativity on December 10, 2008 as an honorary Individual with Great Creativity. He also proved to be a competent, creative fisherman through his development of a fishing net designed to increase yields and the creation of a technique to farm abalones. As he made improvements on Dokdo and the island became equipped with such facilities, Choi Jong Deoks family on Ulleungdo began to spend more time on Dokdo. In particular, Chois daughter Gyeong Suk spent most of her life on Dokdo, including her childhood and a considerable period after marriage. Her husband Jo Jun Gi was a former non-commissioned officer of the Marine Corps and the founding agent for the training unit of the Ulleungdo reserve forces. He met Choi Gyeong Suk while serving in the Marine Corps on Ulleungdo and after marriage, following his father-in-laws suit, he moved to Dokdo. Jo moved his address of residency to Dokdo on July 8, 1986 and stayed on Dokdo until he moved to Gangwon-do in June 1993. In 1987, he also registered his two-year-old son Gang Hyeon and his wife as residents of Dokdo. In 1990, Choi Gyeong Suk gave birth to Dokdodungi (Dokdos Baby)14) Han Byeol. Thanks to Choi Jong Deok who spearheaded a new life on Dokdo, this rocky island became the stage for ordinary family lives, with a young couple getting married and giving birth to a new baby. The young second-generation resident Jo Jun Gi remained dedicated to improving life on Dokdo after his father-in-law passed away. In 1988, he participated in the construction of facilities to help residents successfully inhabit Seodo. He then moved to Gangwon-do, but continued to boost public interest in Dokdo by holding an exhibition in 1993 of photos of the islands panoramic views and his day-to-day life. On December 4, 2007, the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs (todays Ministry of Public Administration and Security) selected Jo Jun Gi as the citizen-recommended winner of government awards and conferred the presidential citation on him in recognition of his promotional activities in Korea and beyond and his contributions to the establishment of a permanent civilian settlement on Dokdo.
Kim Seong Do and his family became third-generation Dokdo residents following Choi Jong Deok and his family. Kim Seong Do was first introduced to Dokdo when he began working for Choi Jong Deok. Kim frequented Ulleungdo and Dokdo from the late 1960s onwards as a crew member for Choi, managing female divers hired to gather marine products and taking care of tasks on board. During this time, he met his wife Kim Sin Yeol, a female diver from Jeju. After their marriage, his life continued to be centered on Dokdo for more than ten years as he continued to work for Choi. Although he spent so much time on Dokdo, Kim Seong Do says he never imagined living on Dokdo permanently. Even after he began to fish around Dokdo in full scale, he hesitated when Choi Jong Deok recommended that he move his address of residency to the island. However, in 1991 after the death of Choi, he became an official Dokdo resident and took the post of village head of Dokdo-ri in 2007.15) If Choi Jong Deok was responsible for laying the foundation for people to move in and build homes, Kim Seong Do is now developing that foundation by making a living and creating history on a day-to-day basis. Though they may not be the first to inhabit the island, Kim and his wife have spent half of their lives as Dokdo residents. In 2005, Japans Shimane Prefecture unexpectedly enacted an ordinance to implement a so-called Takeshima Day and claimed Japans sovereignty of Dokdo. Gyeongsangbuk-do responded immediately by establishing a team dedicated to the protection of Dokdo16), while the government of Ulleung-gun created the Dokdo Control Office. The Korean government visibly stepped up its effort to protect Dokdo. In March 2005, civilian travel was allowed for tourists to land on and look around Dokdo. In July, the Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Council established and declared the ordinance enacting Dokdo Month. In 2006, the Ordinance on Supporting Civilians Residing on Dokdo was established and put into action in January 2007. As Dokdo witnessed many significant changes from March 2005 onwards, the life of Kim Seong Do and his wife also gathered much attention from the government and people on the mainland as an important factor in the history of Dokdo. The number of visitors to Dokdo continued to increase every year from March 24, 2005 onwards, the day when the government allowed civilians to access the island, and the yearly number of visitors to Dokdo has hovered over the 100,000 mark since 2007. Kim Seong Do is busy fulfilling the duties as a Dokdo resident, receiving the visitors, serving as village head of Dokdo-ri since his inauguration in 2007, and participating in the first absentee ballot on Dokdo.
12 13
14) Jo Jun Gi and his wife were planning to arrive at Dokdo on Jo Han Byeol's due date, but the ferry did not operate on that day due to adverse weather conditions. Thus, their wish to give birth on Dokdo was not fulfilled. However, Jo Han Byeol's place of family registry is San 67, Dodong-ri, Ulleung-eup, Ulleung-gun as Jo Jun Gi and his wife Choi Gyeong Suk were both registered as current residents of Dokdo at the time of her birth, and therefore she is qualified to be a Dokdodungi (Dokdo's baby).
15) The name and address of the administrative district of Dokdo's Seodo has changed over the years San 67, Dodong-ri, Ulleung-eup (1981/Choi Jong Deoks address) San 67, Dodong-ri (1987) San 63, Dodong-ri (1991) San 20, Dokdo-ri, Ulleung-eup (2000) 20-2, Dokdo-ri, Ulleung-eup (2005) 16) The provincial government of Gyeongsangbuk-do created the Dokdo Protectors Team dedicated to the protection of Dokdo on March 16, 2005. This team was expanded into the Dokdo Protection Headquarters after the Japanese history textbook controversies in 2008. It is at present called the Division of Dokdo Defense.
The story of
Panoramic View of
Dokdo
Seomjangdae
(a type of rock cress unique to the Ulleungdo region)
Dokdo
Residents

After regaining independence, the area around Dokdo was designated as a bombing range for the US Air Force and soon the Korean Peninsula was thrown into the turmoil of the Korean War. Japanese patrol boats and fishing boats seized this opportunity and began frequenting the waters around Dokdo, creating insecurity and anxiety among Ulleungdo residents by claiming sovereignty of Dokdo. In response, Ulleungdo residents rose to defend themselves and Dokdo and to protect their livelihoods that depended on the fisheries in waters off Dokdo.
1954: The Dokdo Volunteer Guard landed on Dokdo August 28, 1954: The guard barracks and boundary stone were installed on Dongdo
The Dokdo Volunteer Guard and Samhyseongje Cave Rock 16 17
Sign clearly marking Korean territory
Hong Sun Chil, seated second from right
Commander Hong Sun Chil on guard
Members of the Dokdo Volunteer Guard
August 28, 1954-Unveiling ceremony for the Dokdo guard barracks and boundary stone
The government conferred th fifth grade Distinguished Military Service Medal to Hong Sun Chil and Defense Medal to the other members in 1966.
In 1996, Hong Sun Chil was given Samiljang(the fourth grade Order of National Security Merit) and the other members Gwangbokjang(the fifth grade Order of Naitonal Security Merit), all recognized as men of national merit.
Dokdo Volunteer Guard 18 19
Certificate of the Order
1966 - The members of the Dokdo Volunteer Guard are being awarded the Order of Military Merit Hwarang at Cheongwadae(Korea President Office)
Certificate of the Order
Certificate of the Defense Medal
1996 at Cheongwadae, the former President Kim Youngsam, the members of the Dokdo Volunteer Guard with their family after being awarded the Order of National Security Merit.

Today, a stone post engraved with (literally meaning Korean territory) stands near the highest peak of Dongdo. Though many may take the stone and its obvious message for granted, there have been many twists and turns for this small post to be able to stand firmly on Dokdo. The Korea-Japan conflicts over the sign of ownership on Dokdo began to surface in full when Japan erected a column reading (Shimane Prefecture, Oki District, Kokamura, Takeshima) on June 27, 1953. Since then, the two sides have repeatedly erected signs of ownership and demolished each others. On May 18, 1954, the members of the Dokdo Volunteer Guard summoned the late Han Jin Ho, reputed to be Ullengdos best calligrapher, and asked him to write the phrase (literally meaning Korean territory). Hans work was then engraved on a stone post.
It was Korea that erected the first sign of ownership on Dokdo. In 1947, a post written with (Joseon, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Ulleung-gun, Nam-myeon, Dokdo) was installed on August 29 by the Corean Alpine Club (then called the Joseon Alpine Club). This post was later lost during a storm.
The Memorial Honoring Fishermen Shipwrecked on Dokdo on June 8, 1950 - The back of the memorial reads, erected to make it clearer to Japan that Dokdo is Korean territory, while also comforting the spirits of shipwrecked fishermen.
August 15, 2005 - Restored by Gyeongsangbuk-do Located to the left of the Dongdo Dock
20 21
Corean Alpine Clubs boundary stone - On October 15, 1953, the Corean Alpine Club members landed on Dokdo and erected a granite post engraved with (Dokdo) LIANCOURT.
August 28, 1954 - Erected by the Dokdo Volunteer Guard Stone post engraved with " " (boundary stone of Dokdo, Ulleung-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea) August 24, 1954 -Erected by Gyeongsangbuk-do Stone post engraved with (boundary stone of Dokdo, Ulleung-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea)
22 23
Memorial Honoring Policemen Who Died on Duty on DokdoLocated next to the Dongdo lighthouse Heo Hak Do November 10, 1954 | Kim Yeong Yeol January 3, 1958 | Lee Yi Chul May 26, 1970 Kim Yeong Su August 2, 1979 | Ju Jae Won November 5, 1982 | Gwon O Gwang November 5, 1982
Memorial Commemorating the Completion of the Dongdo Dock (Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) -November 16, 1997 Eastern End of the Republic of Korea
August 15, 2005 - Restored by Gyeongsangbuk-do Located to the left of the Dongdo Dock

The symposium on Female Divers Working on Dokdo and the Anti-Japanese Movement held at the Haenyeo Museum on June 9, 2009 revealed that Jeju female divers who harvested sea mustard in Dokdo waters in the 1950s assisted the Dokdo Volunteer Guard. After 1956 when the police took over the defense of Dokdo, 20-40 female divers came to Dokdo and stayed for about 2-3 months at a time to harvest sea mustard. Jeju female divers continued to work on Dokdo until the 1970s and 1980s, making their livings on Dokdo and contributing to building a civilian settlement.
Day-to-day life on Dokdo
24 25
Kim Gong Ja and Dokdo Sea Lions (called gangchi in Korean) Sea lions no longer inhabit Dokdo due to overhunting. According to a document, during Japanese colonial rule, Japanese fishermen caught about 14,000 sea lions between 1904 and 1913 and 100-300 per year between 1916 and 1928. Its population drastically decreased from the 1940s onwards. The photo shows that Dokdo sea lions inhabited the island up until the 1950s. Jeju female divers living in a cave on Seodo while staying on Dokdo for 2-3 months to harvest sea mustard
Jeju female divers and policemen on guard duty
Jeju children staying on Ulleungdo with their diver mothers
Dokdo in the 1970s and 1980s seen through the life of Jeju female diver Go Sun Ja
Jeju female diver Go Sun Ja worked around Dokdo from 1973 to 1991. Dokdo's first resident, Choi Jong Deok, first met her when he went all the way to Jejudo to recruit female divers, and she worked with him on the Deokjinho for 13 years. She then worked with Chois son-in-law Jo Jun Gi until 1991. Although temporarily, she even changed her address of residency to Dokdo in 1984 and in 1987. The years she spent on Dokdo are well portrayed in the photos. 1970s - Against the backdrop of her lodging on Seodo
26 27
With Choi Jong Deok
1979-With the policemen on guard duty on Dongkibawi Rock
Gathering top shells and abalones
1980s - Go Sun Ja dressed in her day-to-day clothes
1982- Dokdos first residents Choi Jong Deok and his wife visiting Jeju female divers Mun Yeong Sim, Jo Gab Sun (Choi Jong Deok's wife), Choi, Go Sun Ja (clockwise)
The story of
June 9, 2009 The symposium entitled Female Divers Working on Dokdo and the Anti-Japanese Movement was held at the Haenyeo Museum, highlighting the lesser known lives of Jeju female divers on Dokdo.
Dokdo
Residents
Choi Jong Deok
July 1 - August 31, 2010 The photo exhibition entitled Jeju Female Divers Go to Dokdo was held at the Haenyeo Museum, revealing facts about female divers working and living on Dokdo
Choi Jong Deok

Choi Jong-deok
Dokdos first resident Choi Jong Deok Choi Jong Deok first started to work on Dokdo in March 1965 when he began harvesting marine products on the Type 1 Common Fishing Ground of the Fishing Village Cooperative of Dodong-ri, Ulleung-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do. He undertook the construction of different facilities in May 1968. Later, he registered Dokdo as his current address on October 14, 1981 after Japan claimed sovereignty of Dokdo in 1980, in an attempt to show Japan that Dokdo was an inhabited island occupied by Koreans. Choi Jong Deok began his life on Dokdo as the islands first resident and built a house near the dock on Seodo. In addition, he made the 998 Steps connected to Mulgol on the opposite side of Seodo to more easily obtain clean drinking water. He also created an underwater storage system for the marine products he harvested. He left his marks as a great fisherman by developing a new technique to fertilize abalones and a specially designed fishing net.
Choi Jong Deok 30 31
Choi Jong Deoks Family

Choi Gyeong Suk atop Dongdo Choi Jong Deok, daughter Choi Gyeong Suk, son Choi Gyeong Uk
Choi's wife Jo Gap Sun taking care of her grandchildren in front of her home on Seodo
Choi Gyeong Suk sun-drying seaweed in front of her home on Seodo
Birth of Dokdos Baby
Fisheries on Dokdo
Choi Jong Deok
January 24, 1990 - KBS News reporting the birth of Dokdodungi (Dokdo's Baby) Birth of Dokdos Baby: Jo Han Byeol, granddaughter of Choi Jong Deok Choi Jong Deoks daughter Gyeong Suk and her husband were originally planning to deliver their baby on Dokdo, but had to change plans due to adverse weather conditions. Though Han Byeol was born on Ulleungdo, her parent officially registered address was Dokdo. Therefore, Han Byeols address of resident registration upon birth was San 67, Dodong-ri, Ulleungeup, making her qualified to be Dokdodungi.
Abalone farming: Choi Jong Deok believed that in order for residents to permanently stay on Dokdo making a living was the top priority, and focused all his resources on developing abalone farming.
34 35
Dokdodungi Jo Han Byeol having fun on Seodo
Choi Jong Deok on the Deokjinho, fishing near Dokdo
Choi Jong Deok
Pulling female divers onto the boat after seaweed gathering
Choi Jong Deok looking at harvested abalones
36 37
Sea cucumbers from Dokdo
Helping female divers go under water
Life on Dokdo Seagull eggs, an important source of nutrition for Dokdo residents
Enjoying fresh-caught seafood of Dokdo on the spot
Seagull eggs, which are easily found on Dokdo, were an important source of nutrition for Dokdo residents. Choi Gyeong Suk has said that she used to wash her hair with seagull eggs in her childhood. Upon Gajebawi Rock
Choi Jong Deok
Visitors from the mainland 40 41
Female divers happily holding their daily catch
Dokdo residents welcoming singer Jeong Gwang Tae who released his song Dokdo Is Our Land in 1982 which became a record-breaking hit
Choi Jong Deoks Residence

Choi Jong Deok
1974 Chois home and his fishing boat Deokjinho
Choi Jong Deoks first priority was to build a house. After combing the entire island, he found a spot safe from the high waves of Dokdo. Though the location was in the completely opposite direction from Mulgol, the source of drinking water, it was convenient in many other ways and provided a good place to build a dock. On that spot, he built a slate roof house. Today, the Fishermans Lodge stands here. Choi then built a dock to berth his boat and an underwater storage system on a hillside, developed a technique to cultivate abalones, and created a specially designed fishing net. He had drying racks at the back of his house to sun-dry fresh-caught octopus, which he sold on the mainland via Ulleungdo as a source of income.
1980 Renovated with bricks and Dokdo sand
42 43
1970 Choi's home on Seodo (built with galvanized iron sheets)
1984 A new refrigerated storage unit built in the middle of the house
Construction on Seodo
Choi Jong Deok
Construction underway on Seodo
Construction of the dock on Seodo 1 44 45
Gathering gravel Summer of 1987 - After the island is left ravaged by Typhoon Maemi, Choi Jong Deok is trying to rebuild the community and is gathering gravel to make a new lodge for fishermen.
Construction of the dock on Seodo 2
998 Steps at present

Choi Jong Deok
Path to Mulgol under construction
Steps to Mulgol completed
November 5, 1982 - Two of the policemen on guard duty were killed on their way back to Dongdo after completing a patrol around Mulgol on Seodo when a gust of wind broke their small raft. Choi Jong Deok thought the accident could have been prevented if there were steps connecting Mulgol and the Fisherman's Lodge on Seodo. In response to the accident, he initiated the construction of the 998 Steps.
46 47
Gathering sand from Mulgol on Seodo The sand used for all construction projects on Dokdo was gathered from the floor of Dokdo waters and the cave of Mulgol on Seodo. Sand gathered from the cave of Mulgol is being carried out.
Construction on Dongdo
Choi Jong Deok Choi Jong Deok helped with nearly all construction projects that took place on Dokdo. Choi Jong Deok took part in the construction of the helicopter pad, water tank, dock, and steps on Dongdo.
48 49
Dongdo Steps under construction
Dongdo Dock (1981-1982)
Policemen on guard duty and Choi Jong Deok
Dokdos first landline was installed for security purposes

Telephone lines connecting Dongdo and Seodo were finally installed in 1983 and 1984. Dongdo and Seodo had no means of emergency communication until that time, and Choi Jong Deok decided to install telephone lines on his own. He first installed steel wires between the two islets and connected telephone lines to enable communications by telephone. Choi Jong Deok was on friendly terms with the policemen on guard duty stationed on Dongdo and got together with them often.
View of Mulgol now
Mulgol provides potable water to Dokdo residents
Inside Mulgol
Jo Jun Gi
Jo Jun-Gi
Second Generation Dokdo Resident Jo Jun Gi Jo Jun Gi met Choi Jong Deoks daughter while serving as a marine on Ulleungdo and settled on Dokdo after marrying her. Jo and his family registered Dokdo as their current address on July 8, 1986, and stayed on the island until they moved to Gangwon-do in March 1993 . In 1988, Jo participated in the construction of facilities for permanent residents on Seodo and made significant contributions to the creation of a permanent settlement for civilians on Dokdo. He continued to engage in promotional activities concerning Dokdo even after moving to Gangwon-do. He organized an exhibition of photos showing the beauty of the island and the lifestyle of its residents and remained at the forefront of promoting its significance as Korean territory. On December 4, 2007, the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs (todays Ministry of Public Administration and Security) selected Jo Jun Gi as the citizen-recommended winner of government awards and conferred a presidential citation on him in recognition of his promotional activities in Korea and beyond and his contributions to the establishment of a permanent civilian settlement on Dokdo.
Jo Jun Gi 54 55
November 1986 - Jo Jun Gi and Choi Jong Deok shaking hands with Lee Sang Bae, the 19th governor of Gyeongsangbuk-do
Jo Jun Gi living on Dokdo
Fishing Activities
Jo Jun Gi 56 57
Drying octopus
1988 - Renovating a storm-damaged building on Seodo
Construction on Seodo
Working under water
The story of
1990s - Dokdo Club members from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
Dokdo
Residents
Kim Seong Do
Policemen on guard duty on Dongdo
Kim Seong Do
Kim Seong-Do
Kim Seong Do became the third generation Dokdo resident following Choi Jong Deok and his family. He first became associated with Dokdo while working for Choi Jong Deok. He frequented Ulleungdo and Dokdo from the 1960s onwards as a member of Chois crew, supervising female divers harvesting marine products in waters off Dokdo and taking care of tasks on board. He met Kim Sin Yeol from Jeju around this time, married her, and continued to live on Dokdo for more than ten years with Choi Jong Deok. He took part in the construction of the 998 Steps initiated by Choi Jong Deok to connect Mulgol and the current Fishermans Lodge. Kim Sin Yeol also helped by gathering sand from the floor of the coastal waters and carrying it to the construction site. The couple changed their address of residency to Dokdo in 1991 and officially became Dokdo residents. Kim Seong Do was appointed village head of Dokdo-ri in 2007.
Kim Seong Do 60 61
Kim Seong Do 62 63
Kim Seong Do fishing on the Dokdoho, built with the help of donations After it was reported that Kim Seong Do and his wife lost their boat amid Typhoon Maemi, poet Pyeon Bu Gyeong launched a fund-raising campaign to craft a new boat, which brought in donations from 158 people and an engine from a company. The Dokdoho had its launching ceremony on March 16, 2005.
Kim Seong Do 64 65
Kim Seong Do and his wife Kim Sin Yeol
Kim Seong Do 66 67
Kim Sin Yeol came to Ulleungdo from Jejudo in 1975. She worked as a female diver there and married Kim Seong Do. She is now living on Dokdo with her husband.
Kim Seong Do 68 69
Kim Sin Yeol cleaning mussels with her grandchild Kim Hwan
Kim Hwan visiting his maternal grandparents on Dokdo
Kim Seong Do 70 71
Kim Seong Do 72 73
Landline phones were first connected in Dokdo (Seodo) on May 4, 2006, and mobile phones on August 10, 2006.
Kim Seong Do delivering the latest news on Dokdo during a televised interview
Eating fresh-caught seafood is one of the biggest joys of residing on Dokdo.
Kim Seong Do 74 75
After the completion ceremony for the desalination plant on Dokdo on June 11, 2007- The quality of life on Dokdo depends on the availability of clean drinking water. For this reason, Choi Jong Deok labored to build the 998 Steps connected to Mulgol on Seodo. Now it has become much easier to access clean drinking water thanks to the desalination plants donated and built by Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction. Dongdo is provided with 27 tons of water per day and Seodo four tons per day. Kim Seong Do is particularly thrilled by this change.
2006 - The torch to light the Main Stadium during the 87th National Sports Festival in Gimcheon (October 17-October 24) was ignited on Dokdo.
Kim Seong Do attending the ceremony to celebrate the start of the DMB service in Ulleungdo and Dokdo on March 17, 2010 Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) enabled not only the locals but also fishermen working on or passing through the East Sea and visitors to Ulleungdo and Dokdo to stay connected to an array of broadcast programs, which are particularly useful in the event of emergencies and natural disasters.
Torch lighting ceremony of the 87th National Sports Festival in Gimcheon Torch ignited on Dokdo
Kim Seong Do
December 14, 2007 - Absentee ballot for the 18th presidential election
76 77
April 6, 2007 - Dokdo is Korean territory and an administrative district of Ulleung-gun. Kim Seong Do inaugurated as village head of Dokdo-ri May 25, 2006 - Kim Seong Do casting an absentee ballot in a local election December 14, 2007 - Policemen on guard duty on Dongdo casting absentee ballots
Appointment of village head of Dokdo-ri
Voting on Dokdo
Kim Seong Do
July 17, 2008 - Gyeongsangbuk-do Dokdo Protection Headquarters established
August 2009 - Kim Seong Do warmly welcoming students of the Dokdo Academy set up by Cyber Dokdo of Korea 78 79
August 15, 2008 - With the staff of the Gyeongsangbuk-do Dokdo Protection Headquarters after the National Liberation Day ceremony on Dokdo
August 14, 2008 - Kim Seong Do attending the signboard hanging ceremony of the Dokdo Research Institute founded by the Northeast Asian History Foundation
First Pitch in the Opening Game of the Pro Baseball Season September 2, 2008 - Kim Seong Do throwing out the first pitch to mark the start of a game between the Samsung Lions and Kia Tigers as a guest of honor at the Daegu Baseball Stadium
Kim Seong Do 80 81
Ulleungdo Residents Affection for Dokdo
Dokdo, one of the islands making up Ulleungdo, is an important part of the day-to-day lives of Ulleungdo residents. Ulleungdo residents depend on the fisheries in Dokdo waters to make a living and are taking the initiative to protect and develop this rocky island. In 1988, Chairperson Lee Deok Yeong and a group of young men from Ulleungdo formed the Residents Organization for a Greener Ulleungdo and Dokdo. This group designed the five-year campaign to plant trees on Dokdo and put the campaign in action from 1989 with support from Ulleung-gun. The organization continues to clean up Dokdo and its surrounding waters and to enrich the soil as it is hard for trees to grow on the island's rocky soil.
Kim Seong Do
Members receiving trees to plant on Dokdo 82 83
Members climbing the steep slope of Dokdo and carrying soil and trees on their backs
Kim Seong Do
Environment Day 1988 - Exploring Dokdo on a raft The Residents' Organization for a Greener Ulleungdo and Dokdo, mainly consisting of Ulleungdo residents (first chairperson Lee Deok Yeong), carried out a series of activities to preserve and protect Dokdo. In particular, it led the investigation to find the truth about the US Air Force's bombing in the 1950s, launched the tree-planting campaign, and supported the Barae No. 1,300 Raft Academic Investigation Team. 84 85
Clean-up of the sea
October 1, 2008 - The Symposium to Make a Greener Ulleungdo and Dokdo was held
Kim Seong Do 86 87
July 31, 2008- The Gyeongsangbuk-do-designated Protected Tree No. 2008-33-01, which is a Korean-Peninsula-shaped 120-year-old spindle tree nicknamed the Dokdo Guardian Tree, is located at 30 Dokdo-ri, Ulleung-eup

Appendix
Residents
Appendix
Dokdo
The story of
After March 2005

Korean people were taken by surprise when Shimane Prefecture of Japan enacted and approved an ordinance for Takeshima Day on March 16, 2005 and claimed sovereignty of Dokdo, which is Korean territory occupied by Korean residents. The Korean government, in response, announced measures concerning the management of Dokdo. In particular, Gyeongsangbuk-do, the province directly in charge of Dokdo, responded immediately by forming a department dedicated to Dokdo and reasserted its determination to protect the island. Ulleung-gun also established the Dokdo Control Office on April 18.
March 16, 2005: Gyeongsangbuk-do formed a department dedicated to Dokdo
- April 18: The Dokdo Control Office is set up in Dodong-ri and Dokdo-ri - April 20: The Korean government created the Organization to Set History Straight with a team in charge of Dokdo Today's Dokdo Research Institute (opened on August 14, 2008) Dokdo-Related Laws and Regulations - March 24, 2005: The restriction on entry to Dokdo was mitigated, and the measure designating Dongdo as a restricted area was lifted - May 18, 2005: The Act on the Sustainable Use of Dokdo Island was enacted (taking effect on November 19) - July 4, 2005: Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Council enacted the Ordinance of the Dokdo Month (October) - July 29, 2005: The Act on Supporting the Dokdo Volunteer Guard was enacted (taking effect on October 26) - November 2, 2006: Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Council enacted the Ordinance on Supporting Civilians Residing on Dokdo (taking effect in January 2007)
December 14, 2007: Dokdo's first absentee ballot took place July 2008: The Korean government launched the Territorial Management Measures Team
Appendix
- July 29, 2008: Prime Minister visited Dokdo
August 24-25, 2006 - Governor Kim Kwan Yong first visited Ulleung-gun and Dokdo after his inauguration. During his visit, he met with Dokdo's only residents Kim Seong Do and his wife and delivered a message of gratitude and support. After listening to the report on Dokdo's current situation, he announced a plan to create more facilities for permanent residents and to reinforce local diplomatic competence.
90 91
After Japan surprised Korea by abruptly announcing the Takeshima Day, the then Gyeongsangbuk-do governor Lee Ui Geun immediately responded by establishing a department dedicated to Dokdo and demonstrated his determination to safeguard Dokdo. In April 2006, when Japan announced a plan to conduct an undersea waterway investigation in Dokdo waters, Gyeongsangbuk-do instantaneously announced a statement of condemnation. April 21, 2006 - Governor Lee Ui Geun visiting the policemen on guard duty on Dokdo who remain vigilant at all times
Governor Kim Kwan Yong of Gyeongsangbuk-do getting hands-on experience fishing aboard the Dokdoho with Kim Seong Do and his wife
Appendix
Activities of the Provincial Government of Gyeongsangbuk-do
Appendix
March 11, 2008 - Gyeongsangbuk-do launched an integrated consultation group of Dokdo research organizations, including
Research Institute for Ulleungdo and Dokdo at Kyungpook National University Dokdo and Gando Education Center at Kyungil University Academy of Ulleungdo Studies at Gyeongju University An Yong Bok Research Institute at Daegu Haany University Dokdo Institute at Yeungnam University UlleungdoUDokdo Development Research Group at the Daegu Gyeongbuk Development Institute Center for Territorial Studies at Daegu University (joined in 2009) East Sea Environment Research Department at the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (joined in 2010)
92 93
February 5, 2007 - Gyeongsangbuk-do and the Korea Maritime Institute concluded an agreement to work together to collect research data on Dokdo and the surrounding oceans and develop pertinent policies
April 2007 - Gyeongsangbuk-do and the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute concluded an agreement to jointly develop policies concerning the surrounding oceans
November 27, 2008 - Gyeongsangbuk-do formed the Legal Advisory Committee for the Protection of Dokdo
December 8, 2009 - A seminar was held to boost the legal status of Dokdo defined by international law and to identify Gyeongsangbuk-do's role to achieve this goal
Appendix
Special Exhibition Entitled Our Land! Love for Dokdo

A special exhibition showcasing photos of panoramic views of Dokdo and relevant historical exhibits is held more than four times a year across the nation to generate interest in Dokdo.
Appendix 94 95
Special exhibition held at the National Assembly Library for 15 days from October 24 to November 7, 2008
Dokdo Race visited the provincial government of Gyeongsangbuk-do - Seoul National University's club Dokdo Race made a tour around 30 cities in 18 countries on six continents from February 2009 to promote that Dokdo is Korean territory. The club experienced a tragic accident of losing one of its members (Kim Do Won) during a relay race originally staged to cover the 380-kilometer course from Dokdo to Seoul. Dokdo Race's big run to bring global attention to Dokdo was completed in Gyeongsangbuk-do on August 11, 2010.
December 23-30, 2009 - Our Land! Love for Dokdo held at Gimhae International Airport
October 25, 2010 - Ulleungbuk Middle School was selected as the official school of the Dokdo protection effort in the Gyeongsangbuk-do region
Appendix
Appendix
Dokdo Museum
The Dokdo Pyeonghwaho
Appendix 96 97
August 8, 1997 - The Dokdo Museum opened to the public The Dokdo Museum, the nation's only museum dedicated to territorial issues, was opened to the public. It displays materials collected by the first director Lee Jong Hak (fifth person from right) over 30 years and exhibits donated by the family of the late Hong Sun Chil, the comrade association of the Dokdo Volunteer Guard, and the members of the Residents' Organization for a Greener Ulleungdo and Dokdo.
June 26, 2009 - The Dokdo Pyeonghwaho began to operate, ensuring the safety of visitors and serving as an advance guard for protecting national territory - 177 tons and a sea speed of 30 knots - A naming contest was held, with 1,697 ideas being submitted and reviewed by the Selection and Reviewing Committee consisting of pertinent government organizations, university professors, and naming experts. Finally, the ship was named the Dokdo Pyeonghwaho, reflecting the people's hope of establishing peace on Dokdo.
Administrator You Hong June of the Cultural Heritage Administration giving a congratulatory speech at the ceremony celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Dokdo Museum
Appendix
Exploration of Dokdo
Appendix 98 99
2009 - History and geography teachers across the nation held a forum on Dokdo and explored the island
June 7, 2009 - Native English-speaking teachers of the Gyeongbuk region visited historical sites on Ulleungdo and Dokdo
2010 - International students in Korea visited historical sites on Ulleungdo and Dokdo
2009 - Cyber Dokdo of Korea organized the Dokdo Camp for students of the Dokdo Academy
Appendix
Completion Ceremony of Dokdo Residents House.
Appendix 100 101
Mr. and Mrs. Kim Seong Dos house was reconstructed and the completion ceremony was held on August 5, 2011
Appendix
Appendix
Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Council
Speaker of the National Assembly visiting Dokdo
Appendix 102 103
October 10, 2006-The Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Council (chairperson Lee Sang Cheon) held the 210th regular meeting on Dokdo The Ordinance on Supporting Civilians Residing on Dokdo was enacted (announced on November 2, 2006 and taking effect in January 2007)
April 18, 2010 - Kim Hyung Oh, the first speaker of the National Assembly to visit Dokdo during his term of office
August 26, 2010-The Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Council (chairperson Lee Sang Hyo) held the 1st general meeting of the extraordinary session on Dokdo The entire 63 members of the council visited Dokdo and participated in the meeting that doubled as a rally to adopt a resolution against Japan's claim over Dokdo
Paying his respect to the Memorial Honoring Policemen Who Died on Guard Duty on Dokdo
Appendix
July 29, 2008 - Prime Minister Han Seung Soo during his visit to Dokdo
Appendix 104 105
The story of
Dokdo Residents
Publisher Governor Kim Kwan Yong Gyeongsangbuk-do 60 Yeonamno, Buk-gu, Daegu-si T.053)950-2283 F.053)950-2194 http://www.dokdo.go.kr
Publication date October 25, 2011 Produced by Adnet Gyeongsangbuk-do, 2011
The copyright and publication right of this book is owned by Gyeongsangbuk-do. Source of data: Dokdo Museum, Haenyeo Museum, Dokdo Volunteer Guard, Choi Jong Deok Commemoration Committee, Residents' Organization for a Greener Ulleungdo and Dokdo, Jo Jun Gi, Ulleung-gun, Cyber Dokdo of Korea

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