I’m the proud Korean Dokdo Security Guard
A way to protect our territory, Dokdo. A way to love myself. Dokdo Security Guard.
I completed my Korean military service duty as a ‘Dokdo / Ulleung-do Security Guard’ for 21 months.
If you are Korean, then there is no doubt that you are touched and passionate about Dokdo. It’s the island we must protect. It is so important to us, that we can almost call it a representative of Korea. Now, it’s a symbol of our patriotism.
I feel overwhelmed when I think of Dokdo. Before serving my military duty, I visited Dokdo twice, once in middle school, and once in high school. I was a boy who had a lot of interest in that small island. Those times in the past reminded me to apply for the position of ‘Dokdo Security Guard’ right after turning 18. But continued interest and patriotism were not my only reasons for applying.
When I was eighteen, I sought new experiences. After moving to Seoul, it was an enormous shock for me to recognize that there are many people living in such diverse ways. I wanted to get to know the real world rather than just studying about it.
I wanted to get my own color.
Actually, I wasn’t honest with myself before turning 18. In many situations, I assumed leadership roles, and often took initiative in various situations. On the other hand, I was often pretentious, and I was always busy catching up on my studies. I wasn’t curious about my inner voice. Since starting university, I’ve made an effort to understand the world by engaging with people from different fields, traveling extensively — such as through cross-country cycling — and pursuing a variety of unconventional or unlikely projects.
I got to know about the world. I could meet lots of wonderful people. But the more I learned, the more I reflected on myself. ‘Why wasn’t I honest with myself and seeking challenges?’. So I applied to become a ‘Dokdo Security Guard’ to improve my low self-esteem, to find my own color, and to pursue things that I am passionate about.
It’s already been 4 years since I finished my Korean military duty. The reason why I am now writing this memoir about my time in Dokdo and Ulleung-do is to encourage sustained interest among Koreans and to reaffirm my own confidence. I, the writer, could love myself and become proud of myself through my work as a Dokdo Security Guard. I felt truly alive and overwhelmed during that period, and I am now determined to seek out experiences that evoke the same intensity that I felt, especially that of the first time when I encountered Dokdo.
I am going to share my passionate story about my 21 months in Dokdo now.
