Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Hyeon Een]

I went to Dokdo with some students once. It was emotional. For them, not me. Actually that's not true, I got kind of emotional just seeing how bat-shti-crazy they got seeing the two big rocks and several dozen other smaller rocks. It was kind of a cool experience seeing the way the young indoctrinees acted. There was a lot of flag waving and singing the "Dokdo is Ours" song. Very.. interesting.

If you're not a nationalist Korean, I will say that there is still a small upside to the journey. On a clear day with a deep blue ocean and an endless horizon the rocks ARE kind of pretty in the way they sit there in the sea with the seagulls dancing around and the tiny outposts of civilization seemingly glued onto the inhospitable rocks. They are pretty much the only thing you can see out there so they really do dominate the vista.

Interesting fact: Dokdo is/are islets because they contain native tree species. If they didn't, they'd just be a coral reef or a rock and so could not be claimed by any nation. The native tree species are "Spindle Trees". They have several Spindle trees which are about 100 years old on Dokdo. Surprisingly, these very important trees were only discovered on the islets about ten years ago. I got this information from an official information booklet/indoctrination tract, but they worded it differently. Make what you will of that fact.

All in all, I quite enjoyed going there. What are other Dokdo-tourists views of the islets?

[jhuntingtonus]

What does a round trip cost, from where? Is there anything at all to do or spend money on there (e.g. souvenirs)?

[Richard Krainium]

I am the NET stationed there. It's Dokdo-licious!

[kiknkorea]

Your poll left off the "Not in a million years" option.

[Sadebugo1]

[caniff]

Anything to do there besides look around?

I didn't vote because I didn't like that "Not Yet!" option. Something about it made me feel not right.

[Forever]

I would rather go to Hokkaido

[warmachinenkorea]

Went in June with some other EPIK'ers.

Ulleongdo was a nice little island. We had a great group of people. We did have to listen to 2 lectures and meet some local kids. The first lecture was horrid. Think one of your Monday morning staff meetings at a PS thats an hour long. The second was ok because the guy was a lawyer that studied in the US. His English was great and he was resonable(not brainwashed). Meeting the kids was cool and some of them spoke better English that my students.

Dokdo: about an hour each way by ferry and you are confined to the dock for about 20 mins. We saw rocks, birds, blue water, and a lot of bird poop.

The trip to Ulleongdo was kinda tough because an old ajumma forgot her seasick medicine and puked her guts out the whole 3 hrs.

It was a free trip. My wife and I enjoyed it.

[Sector7G]

[Forever]

Ulleungdo not Ulleongdo

it was OK for some fresh air, hiking and eating seafood, but only if you like travelling long distances by boats.

[Sadebugo1]

[runthegauntlet]

[warmachinenkorea]

[oskinny1]

[Smee]

I understand playing ball, but why would you let yourself be used as propaganda? Why would you get yourself involved in a dispute between Korea and Japan? It's one thing to understand how Koreans feel about it, it's another thing to have yourself photographed and filmed doing it. By going you'd be giving Koreans the impression that foreigners from around the English-speaking globe support Korea's claim to the rocks. Regardless of your opinion on the matter or on ownership, why let yourself be manipulated?

Here are a couple links:

A report from a Dave's user: http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=157699