Golf on Dokdo? Seo Kyoung-duk says 'yes'
Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo / Korea Times file
Seo Kyoung-duk / Korea Times file
Sungshin Women’s University professor Seo Kyoung-duk, known for his efforts to promote Korean interests abroad, announced plans Tuesday to host a “hole-in-one” golf challenge on the country’s easternmost islets of Dokdo.
Participants in the challenge, held to mark the 70th anniversary of the nation’s independence from Japan, will tee off from Dokdo’s main islet to the east; and shoot for the pin on the main islet to the west. The distance will cover some 150 meters, making it possible to hole the shot in one stroke.
Japan has long claimed ownership of the rocky islets, lying in waters between Korea and Japan, prompting controversy between the sides.
“If the golf event is publicized…the world will know about the islets. I am now mapping out a specific plan to do so,” he added.
Seo, a liberal arts professor, has made various efforts to counter Japan’s territorial claims. Most recently, he floated a large Korean national flag in waters off the islets.