When viewing a map of Korea, one thing that becomes immediately apparent is the contrasting coastlines between west and east. While the coastline of the Yellow Sea (west) is uneven and rough, the coastline of the East Sea is quite sleek. For Koreans, it is a well-known that the coast of the Yellow Sea and the South Sea are classified as rias formed by sea levels that rose after the Ice Age. A ria is a long narrow coastal inlet of the seacoast that was a former valley and became submerged due to a rise in sea level. This geographical phenomenon is responsible for giving the country its unique shape and the numerous islands nearby. According to the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS), a total of 3,237 islands have been officially recognized off the South Korean coast.

Among these numerous islands, Internet Hanyang News (IHN) is pleased to introduce a few of them for those who would like to spend some vacation time in small but beautiful island surroundings.

Jejudo (Jeju Island) &Udo (U Island)

Recently selected as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, Jeju is Korea’s biggest and most famous island located southwest of the Korean Peninsula. It is an oval-shaped, volcanic, subtropical island that has been a popular honeymoon destination for generations of Koreans. Its location south of the Korean mainland makes the weather on Jeju relatively warmer than other parts of the country even in winter. Moreover, what makes this island so popular is that it contains three natural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO including Halla Mountain, Seongsan Ilchulbong or Sunrise Peak, and the Geomunoreum Lava Tube System.

Near the island, there are a few more islands that were also formed by volcanic activity eons ago. Udo is one of them and is located northeast of Jeju. Udo literally translates into ‘Cow Island’ and was named for its shape of a cow lying down. This island is the only place in Korea where a coral beach called Seobin Beach, black lava cliffs, and a lighthouse with a view of the surrounding countryside can all be found together. As the island is not that large, many tourists enjoy riding bicycles around the perimeter.

Yellow Sea: Seonjaedo & Ganghwado

Located in Incheon, Seonjaedo (Seonjae Island) is believed to have been settled back in the Neolithic Era. The name Seonjaedo means ‘an island where a divine fairy came down and danced’. As the name implies, this is a special place. In fact, it is known for a remarkable natural phenomenon. Like in the Biblical story about Moses dividing the Red Sea, once a year the water near the island is separated by a path from Seonjaedo to a smaller satellite island called Mokdo (Mok Island).

Also on the west coast of Korea, there is Ganghwado (Ganghwa Island) which is the country’s fifth largest island. Unlike other islands, this one is accessible through a short drive over a bridge which connects it to the mainland, enabling many people to travel around Ganghwado. On the island, the mountains are more famous than the beaches, and among them the most famous one is Manisan (Mani Mountain).

South Sea:Geojedo & Somaemuldo

Geojedo (Geoje Island) is the second largest island in Korea and lies on the southern coast of Gyeongsangnamdo (GyeongsanSouth Province). Like Ganghwado, this island is also connected to the mainland but by two bridges from the nearby city called Tongyoung. The island is famous for its natural harbors because shipbuilding is the largest industry in the region. Moreover, there is a grassy green hill by the sea called “The Hill of the Wind” which is the representative attraction there, and remarkably well-preserved.

Somaemuldo (Somaemul Island) is within Hallyeo Haesang National Park, which is one of four marine national parks in Korea representing the natural ecosystem and cultural scenes of Korea. This island is famous for Deungdaeseom (Lighthouse Island), from which people can see bizarrely-shaped rocks among which is a one resembling a large sized sitting dinosaur.

East Sea: Ulleungdo & Dokdo

Compared with the Yellow Sea and South Sea, not many islands are enjoyed in the East Sea. But still, there are two famous islands there:Ulleungdo (Ulleung Island) and Dokdo (Dok Island). Ulleungdo is about 120 kilometers east of the Korean Peninsula. Here, the most popular attraction is fishing because the spot is well-known for cuttlefish, which can be seen drying in the sun in many places there. In addition, the island is packed with other attractive spots including caves, waterfalls, seaside paths, and ancient trees.

Dokdo is at the easternmost end of the Korean territory and is located 87.4 kilometers southeast of Ulleungdo. It is a volcanic island formed by lava and actually consists of two small islands: Dongdo (Dong Island) and Seodo (Seo Island). Dokdo is valuable for many reasons including the rich fishing waters surrounding it, the underground resources such as gas hydrate, and other economic reasons. For this reason, the island has gained international attention for the so-called territorial dispute between Korea and Japan. In order to access Dokdo, a complicated admission process is required before a boat ride to Dokdo can be undertaken via Ulleungdo. It is nonetheless, worth the effort.

Haerim Kang haerim3884@hanyang.ac.kr
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