Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
New technology unveils topography of Dokdo
View of Dokdo Island, captured by a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) equipped drone / Courtesy of National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage
By Kwon Mee-yoo
By Kwon Mee-yoo
ULLEUNG ISLAND ― The Dokdo islets, Korea's easternmost territory located some 220 kilometers east of the Korean Peninsula, are preserved as Natural Monument No. 336 for their rich natural resources and ecological value.
Consisting of two islets and surrounding rocks, the Dokdo islets were first designated as a Natural Monument in 1982 in recognition of the marine plants growing there. In 1999, it was converted into the Dokdo Natural Reserve, taking into account its unique topography and flora and fauna.
However, Dokdo is not up for easy, accessible investigations. Since Dokdo's docking facilities do not have breakwater, ships only can anchor in clear weather and low tides. Moreover, most of the island's terrain consists of steep marine cliffs, which hinders researchers trying to get closer for investigations.
Researchers of the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage fly a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) equipped drone to record natural features of Dokdo Islets, Wednesday. Courtesy of National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage
The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH) introduced LiDAR, a new technology which made a debut scrutinizing the Dokdo islets last week, in commemoration of Dokdo Day, which falls on Oct. 25. The day marks King Gojong's official proclamation of Dokdo as territory attached to Ulleung Island in 1900.
LiDAR, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, is a technology using lasers to illuminate and measure the reflected light to estimate the distance to a target. This uses s distant red light to 3D scan the terrain.
The drone has become a popular means of cultural heritage management and preservation as it can reach places that people cannot to acquire photo and video data. A drone equipped with LiDAR can provide more meticulous information on the topography and ecology.
On the left corner of Dokdo's east islet is a colony of Dokdo spindle trees, the Natural Monument No. 538 which grow low to the ground due to the harsh winds sweeping the islets. The LiDAR provided the first-ever look of the topography, which was out of reach because of the rough terrain.
LiDAR technology uses distant red light to 3D scan the terrain of Dokdo Islets. Courtesy of National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage
Lee Won-ho, a researcher at the NRICH, said "We can observe the geographical features of Dokdo Island which was hidden under the trees and grass.”
Lee said the LiDAR drone can provide detailed information on a larger area in a relatively shorter time, which is a great contribution to the preservation of natural heritage.
"Previously most information on Dokdo's geographical features and flora and fauna came from telescope observations. The LiDAR drone is a major step forward,” the researcher said.
It takes about four hours for the LiDAR drone to go around the Dokdo Natural Reserve, which takes up about 187,000 square meters. The LiDAR can observe 250 meters each time with an average error of 15 millimeters.
The new technology faithfully recorded key terrain features of Dokdo, including Tanggeonbong Peak, Daehanbong Peak and Samhyeongje Cave Rock on the west islet and Cheonjanggul Cave and Dongnimmun Rock on the east islet.
"The topography and ecology of Dokdo is constantly changing under a climatic influence. If we continuously observe and document the Dokdo islets with LiDAR drone periodically, we can monitor the change of the terrain and vegetation continuously, which was previously impossible due to natural restrictions," Lee said.
Colony of Ulleung chrysanthemum and Ulleung thyme / Courtesy of National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage
The NRICH also used drones to document and protect rare natural heritage of Ulleung Island, the closest populated island to Dokdo.
"Ulleung Island's natural monuments such as the Ulleung chrysanthemum, a type of chrysanthemum exclusive to Ulleung Island, and Ulleung thyme are weak against external influences as Ulleung Island hasn't been invaded by exotic species for a while," Lee explained. "Previously, they were found all around the Nari Basin, but have now been reduced to this natural habitat."
After collecting and analyzing data on the two islets of Dokdo Island as the basis of the preservation plan, the NRICH will look for more usage of the technology.
"There are 113 Cultural Landscapes and 11 Natural Reserves in Korea, but there is not enough manpower to measure the sites. We plan to expand the usage of LiDAR to those sites to plan for better preservation," Lee said.
The NRICH hopes to use the technology to take a look into the site of Taebong Kingdom-era Cheorwon Castle in the Demilitarized Zone upon the agreement between North and South Korea on the joint excavation.