The Dokdo Symbol 'Haeguk' Blooms Brightly on Yeungnam University Campus

Full bloom of Haeguk at Yeungnam University Dokdo Native Plant Garden.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Koo Dae-sun] The sea holly, a symbol of Dokdo along with the black-tailed gull and the sea lion, is in full bloom at Yeungnam University Dokdo Native Plant Garden.

The sea holly is an endemic species found only on Korea's East Coast, South Coast, the West Coast south of the Taean Peninsula, and the northwest coast of Japan. In particular, the sea holly is a Dokdo plant whose origin was identified as Ulleungdo and Dokdo through genetic analysis by Professor Park Sun-joo's research team in the Department of Life Sciences at Yeungnam University, asserting 'biological sovereignty of Dokdo.'

Yeungnam University Dokdo Native Plant Garden was established in 2020 and is used for Dokdo education to inform elementary, middle, and high school students as well as the general public about Dokdo's native plants and ecological environment. In addition, Yeungnam University has a Dokdo natural ecology greenhouse where seeds of Dokdo native plants can be cultivated and propagated.

Yeungnam University established the 'Dokdo Research Institute (Director Choi Jae-mok)' in 2005, the first among domestic universities to collect and research Dokdo-related materials. It has led Korea's Dokdo research, being designated as a Ministry of Education policy-focused research institute in 2007.