[꼬꼬무 102회 요약] ＂독도는 우리 땅이다＂ 70년 전 독도를 지킨 최후의 의병들 | 꼬리에 꼬리를 무는 그날 이야기 (SBS방송)

Summary

Set during the Korean War, the programme tells the story of the Dokdo Volunteer Defense Corps, a group of former soldiers who organized to protect Dokdo while the South Korean government was preoccupied with the war.

Park Young-hee, a teacher from Daegu, married Hong Soon-chil, a wounded former army non-commissioned officer from Ulleungdo. She discovered that her husband’s large house on the island also served as a base for men preparing to defend Dokdo.

In January 1952, President Syngman Rhee announced a maritime boundary known as the Syngman Rhee Line, or Peace Line. Japan objected, and Japanese markers and armed patrol boats began appearing around Dokdo, including in incidents involving Korean fishermen.

Believing the country could not adequately respond during wartime, Hong gathered around 40 former soldiers to form a volunteer force. They received no pay, acquired weapons, and travelled to Dokdo on an old fishing boat. The corps stood guard, protected nearby fishermen, built shelters and paths, and carved a marker into the rock to declare the island Korean territory. The programme emphasizes the difficult conditions they endured, including storms, interrupted supplies, and shortages of food and water.

The corps confronted Japanese patrol boats on several occasions. In one encounter, its members fired on an approaching vessel and forced it to retreat. Later, although the corps obtained heavier weapons, it initially had no ammunition; members built a convincing wooden cannon as a bluff. After ammunition arrived, they used rifles and mortars against Japanese patrol boats in a clash remembered as the Dokdo Battle. The programme presents their actions as a determined effort to maintain Korean control of the island.

The story also connects the corps’ history to the continuing dispute over Dokdo. It notes that Japanese school textbooks describe the island—called Takeshima in Japan—as Japanese territory and Korea’s presence there as illegal. The programme argues that Japan seeks to frame Dokdo as disputed territory and stresses the importance of historical records and the corps’ role in exercising control.

Hong’s memoirs were made public after his death, and 33 people associated with the corps, including Hong and those who supported its operations, were later recognized for their service.

Presenters and Contributors

• Presenters: Jang Do-yeon, Jang Sung-kyu, and Jang Hyun-sung
• Historical figures featured: Hong Soon-chil, Park Young-hee, Seo Ki-jong, and members of the Dokdo Volunteer Defense Corps