Dokdo has been the easternmost territory of South Korea for more than a thousand years and it has been an unchangeable fact for a long time. Dokdo is an island that is made of unique volcanic landform with various distinctive ecosystems which make it one of the most valuable islands in Korea. However, since Woosan-guk (including Dokdo and Ulleungdo) was a big threat to the Silla Kingdom, General Issabu invaded the island and therefore it was subsequently included in Korean history. After the Silla era passed, it was specified as Korea’s easternmost territory through the eras of Goryeo, Joseon, and even the Korean Empire. For example, the 41st Korean Empire Ordinance indicates Uldo-gun (Ulleungdo) as one of the 27 independent counties of Gangwon-do, and Seokdo (Dokdo) was added in the jurisdiction of the Uldo-gun Magistrate.

Notwithstanding the evidence, Japan has been continuously insisting that Dokdo is their territory for several ridiculous reasons since the Japanese colonial era. Therefore, The Day of Dokdo (October 25th) was created in order to claim it as Korea’s territory and celebrate the 41st Korea Empire Ordinance. Last year for example, many other places such as Daegu-si and Gyeongsangnm-do tried to invoke the public’s attention by wearing Dokdo T-shirts during work and gathering for a flash mob dance. Sadly, there are even fewer events now and people do not know much about The Day of Dokdo. The Islander hopes that the people recognize the value of Dokdo and that there will be a variety of events that attract more participation in the future.