Seven Gyeongbuk Teachers Explore Dokdo: "Bringing Living Dokdo Education to Students"

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education (Superintendent Lim Jong-sik) announced that from July 25 to July 30, a group called the "Gyeongbuk Office of Education Dokdo Exploration Team for Teachers" conducted a six-day, five-night field research activity on Ulleungdo and Dokdo.

This exploration was carried out to document the value of Dokdo through various research and filming activities, to strengthen historical and geographical awareness of Dokdo as part of our territory, and to foster proper patriotism and a strong will to protect our land.

Seven teachers from the Gyeongbuk region are taking a commemorative photo during their exploration of Dokdo.

In particular, this initiative is especially meaningful because frontline teachers, who directly teach students, personally visited Ulleungdo and Dokdo, conducted research, and documented their findings on-site.

This project was inspired by the joint public-private Dokdo research activities led by the Chosun Alpine Club in 1947. The Chosun Alpine Club, the predecessor of the Korean Alpine Federation, conducted three academic expeditions to Ulleungdo and Dokdo in 1947, 1952, and 1953 after Korea’s liberation. Through these expeditions, they scientifically investigated the natural environment and ecology, and these efforts are considered a historic example of declaring the intention to defend sovereignty over Dokdo both domestically and internationally.

The exploration team consisted of seven teachers from the Gyeongbuk region, each with expertise and skills in photography, videography, drone filming, and documentary production. The project was conducted professionally and systematically with the cooperation of Ulleung County Office, Dokdo Management Office, Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency Dokdo Guard Unit, National Heritage Administration, and Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority.

Based on the results of the expedition, the teachers plan to develop immersive and experiential Dokdo educational content, which will be uploaded to the resource section of the "Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education Cyber Dokdo School" website. The content produced is expected to serve as a valuable Dokdo educational resource not only for Gyeongbuk Province but also nationwide.

Lim Jong-sik, Superintendent of the Gyeongbuk Office of Education, stated, "This Dokdo exploration activity, marking the 80th anniversary of liberation, will be an important opportunity to continue the spirit of defending Dokdo and to provide students with vivid, hands-on Dokdo education." He added, "The Gyeongbuk Office of Education will continue to raise nationwide interest in Dokdo and lead the educational role in protecting our sovereignty."