Dokdo Heritage Foundation
Preserving Korea's heritage. Advocating for truth. Educating communities across the United States about the historical and cultural significance of Dokdo.
Championing Korea's Heritage Through Education and Advocacy
The Dokdo Heritage Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in the United States. We are dedicated to preserving and promoting the cultural, historical, and geographical significance of Dokdo through education, research, and community engagement.
Our work bridges the Korean-American community with policymakers, educators, and the broader public to foster a deeper understanding of Korea's enduring connection to Dokdo—an island territory with over 1,500 years of documented Korean history.
Through scholarly research, cultural programming, and civic advocacy, we ensure that the historical record is accessible, accurate, and represented in public discourse.
Education
Developing curricula, hosting lectures, and producing publications that bring Dokdo's history to classrooms and communities across America.
Preservation
Safeguarding historical documents, maps, and cultural artifacts that evidence Korea's longstanding sovereignty over Dokdo.
Advocacy
Engaging with U.S. policymakers and international institutions to promote accurate representation of Dokdo's historical status.
A Legacy Spanning Fifteen Centuries
Korea's connection to Dokdo is documented across centuries of historical records, maps, and governmental decrees.
Silla Kingdom Incorporation
The Silla Kingdom incorporates Usan-guk (which included Dokdo) into its territory, as recorded in the Samguk Sagi, Korea's oldest surviving historical chronicle.
An Yong-bok's Diplomatic Mission
Korean fisherman An Yong-bok travels to Japan and secures confirmation from Japanese authorities that Ulleungdo and Dokdo are Korean territory, leading to the Tokugawa Shogunate's prohibition of Japanese travel to the islands.
Imperial Decree No. 41
The Korean Empire issues Imperial Decree No. 41, officially designating Dokdo (referred to as Seokdo) as part of Uldo County under Korean administrative jurisdiction.
Japanese Incorporation Amid Colonial Expansion
Japan incorporates Dokdo into Shimane Prefecture during its expansion onto the Korean Peninsula, five years before the full annexation of Korea in 1910. Korea, under increasing Japanese coercion, was unable to lodge a diplomatic protest.
Post-War Period and Korean Administration
Following Japan's surrender in World War II, the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP) excludes Dokdo from Japanese administrative authority. Korea re-establishes effective control, and the Republic of Korea has administered Dokdo continuously since.
Continued Korean Administration
The Republic of Korea maintains a permanent police presence, a lighthouse, a residential address, and ecological research facilities on Dokdo. Korea exercises full sovereignty over the islands.
Korea's Easternmost Territory
Photos: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) — Ulleungdont
Programs & Initiatives
Educational Outreach
We develop age-appropriate educational materials for K-12 and university classrooms, host public lectures featuring leading historians, and organize seminars at academic institutions to increase awareness of Dokdo's significance.
Cultural Preservation
Our team works to catalog, digitize, and preserve historical maps, governmental records, and cultural artifacts that document Korea's relationship with Dokdo across centuries. We partner with libraries and archives in the U.S. and Korea.
Policy Advocacy
We engage with U.S. policymakers, think tanks, and international organizations to ensure that discussions of Northeast Asian territorial issues reflect the full historical record. Our advocacy is grounded in scholarship and conducted through proper civic channels.
Research & Publications
We fund and publish peer-reviewed research on Dokdo's history, ecology, and geopolitical significance. Our publications are freely available to educators, journalists, and the public to support informed discourse.
Help Preserve Dokdo's Heritage
Your contribution funds educational programs, historical research, and advocacy efforts that keep Dokdo's story alive for future generations.
The Dokdo Heritage Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. EIN: XX-XXXXXXX