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Islands of Korea, Islands of the World R&D Station

Day 2: September 5

The team visited Jukdo Island, which currently has one registered and resident inhabitant.

Water for daily use is collected from rainwater, while bottled drinking water is delivered
by passenger ship from Ulleungdo. Though solar and wind power systems exist, limited
efficiency means a diesel generator is used as the main power source.

Yugon Kim, the sole resident of Jukdo, shared:

“I’ve lived here since my father’s generation. But I feel weighed down by land disputes
with the Korea Forest Service. Jukdo is designated both as a development-targeted
island and as a protected island under the Public Island Prevention Act, and though
there’s budget support, most of it goes to tourism-related infrastructure. Very little
actually benefits the residents who live here.”

Vol.03

Why the Inhabited Island Survey Matters

Ulleungdo and Jukdo face unique challenges that set them apart from mainland communities—
from infrastructure gaps to housing and population management.

The researchers explained,

“We hope the data from this survey will become a publicly useful resource for both residents
and policymakers. More than a record, we want this to be a stepping stone for real progress
in island communities.”

Their efforts provide a critical snapshot of life on Korea’s inhabited islands. The findings will form
a strong foundation for the next round of field investigators.

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