Ulleung Island

By Simon Phillips

Contributing Writer

Mysterious Ulleung Island lives up to its name. Located in the East Sea, some 120 kilometers from the Korean Peninsula and 200 kilometers west of Japan, its beauty is breathtaking.

Covering an area of 28 square miles and inhabited by only 10,000 people, Ulleung Island is small and charming. Volcanic origins have created a rugged landscape of soaring cliffs which rise from the sea floor to meet the mountains, the highest being Seonginbung Peak at 984 meters.

The island has had an equally rocky history. Records go back to 512, when the Shilla Kingdom conquered a small nation called Usanguk that governed Ulleung and nearby Dokdo Island. Legend has it that the emperor used wooden lions to intimidate the population, threatening to turn them loose unless they surrendered.

Conflict continued throughout the Joseon Dynasty with raids by Juchen pirates in the 11th Century and subsequently by Wokou pirates in the 14th Century. History then tells of sporadic fishermen's battles between Korea and Japan over fishing rights in the area. Their first conflict ended with Japan's recognition in 1696 that two islands _ Ulleung and Dokdo _ belonged to Korea's Joseon kingdom. In response to these difficulties, Joseon adopted an ``empty-island'' policy, which proved impossible to enforce. After 1881 immigration began.

Fighting for this beautiful island is quite understandable. It has the romantic appeal of an enchanted pirate isle. Development has been kept to a minimum, as people are mostly involved in the fishing industry. Among the various kinds of seasonal fishes, the arrow cuttlefish and the Japanese amberjack are the most unique. The cuttlefish is well known for its quality. Fresh sea breezes and an adequate temperature difference between day and night make it a tasty export to Japan and the U.S.

Lesser industries on the island include the production of taffy, a chewy treat made from pumpkin, as well as wooden carvings from Chinese Juniper trees which shroud the island.

The island holds many secret charms, but you will have to find them out for yourself. Ulleung Island is certainly one of Korea's most beautiful treasures worth discovering.