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Daily Inspection Records
of Ulleungdo

Lee Gyu-won was the only person to ever hold the title "Inspector of Ulleungdo" during the Joseon dynasty (during the reign of King Gojong). His work as the Inspector of Ulleungdo is one of the strongest evidence supporting Korea's claim over the sovereignty of Dokdo. The reason is that Dokdo is an affiliated island of Ulleungdo. Given that Ulleungdo is unequivocally Korean territory, it follows that Dokdo, which has always been grouped together with Ulleungdo, belongs to Korea as well.

Ulleungdo, situated far from mainland Korea, suffered frequent attacks by the Jurchen and Japanese raiders. The residents of Ulleungdo suffered considerable damage, which is why in the early Joseon dynasty, the central government decided to relocate them to the mainland. While the government forbade anyone from living in Ulleungdo due to safety concerns, it never renounced the island. This is evidenced by the dispatch of a government official holding the title of Sutosa [Territorial Guardian] every 2 to 3 years.

In the late Joseon period, especially in the late 19th century, the frequent illegal occupations of Ulleungdo by the Japanese as well as their illegal logging on the island escalated into a diplomatic row. To take care of this problem, King Gojong decided to send someone to Ulleungdo to undertake a detailed inspection of the island. And it was Lee Gyu-won who was chosen as the most qualified person to carry out this important task.

After passing the military category of the national civil service examinations during the reign of King Cheoljong, Maneun (晩隱) Lee Gyu-won (李奎遠, 1833-1901) became the District Magistrate of Dancheon and Tongjin. After completing his assignment as the Inspector of Ulleungdo, he served as the Byeongmajeoldosa [Commanding Officer of the Province], then as the Eoyeongdaejang [head of the Royal Commandery Division], and then as the Chongyungsa [head of Chongyung, a military division of the Joseon dynasty] of Western Gyeongsang. He was then made the Byeongmajeoldosa of Hamgyeongnam-do. He was appointed as the first Jeju Moksa [Jeju Magistrate]/Challisa [Military Inspector] and governed Jejudo for three years in this capacity. He went on to serve as the Gunmuamundaesin [akin to today's Minister of Defense], Anmusa [安撫使; Provincial Placator], Board of Military Command of Gyeongseongbu [Seoul], Jungchuwonuigwan, Gungnaebuteukjingwan [Special Entry Officer of the Royal Court], and Board of Military Command of Hamgyeongbuk-do.

Outstanding and upright public servant

Lee Gyu-won was generally appointed to problem areas to take care of the issues at hand. He always sided with the people in carrying out his government duties. There are many pieces of evidence corroborating this assessment. In Daily Inspection Records of Ulleungdo, it is noted that on his way back to Seoul via Pyeonghae after completing his inspection duties in Ulleungdo, Inspector Lee Gyu-won received a warm welcome in Gunsapo: "The men of Gusanpo took off their tops and laid them down so that Inspector Lee would not have to step on the ground. In the meantime, women, young and old, removed their skirts to cover the roads and bowed; some prostrated and others cried." This demonstrates that Lee had done a lot for the local people when he was serving in the area and that they remembered and appreciated his good deeds. Moreover, after he left his post as the Byeongmajeoldosa of Hamgyeongnam-do, 22 memorials commemorating his deeds were erected, evidencing how his work had made an indelible impression on the residents of Hamgyeongnam-do.

The following is recorded of Lee Gyu-won in Maechonyarok [The Personal Accounts of Maechon]: "Gyu-won was famous for being talented, intelligent, upright, and honest." Maechon goes on to say that "[Lee Gyu-won] used his own money to help the people…He never took much for himself, and for this reason, he was appointed to the post of Jugun nine time and the post of Jangim three times. Although he had served as the Board of Military Command of Hamgyeon-do and Hamgyeonbuk-do a number of times, he remained modest in his living and maintained his ethical integrity and honesty." Lee Gyu-won is hailed as a figure of both intellect and military prowess in the late Joseon period. Some even call him a "great figure in the political scene of the late Joseon dynasty" in consideration of his career achievements; indeed, Lee had served in important posts throughout the nation and achieved great feats in whatever post he found himself.

Lee Gyu-won was given a special assignment from King Gojong. He was to find out whether Ulleungdo was suited for human habitation and to confirm the naming of Ulleungdo and other islands as well as the status of Usando. Lee left Seoul on April 10, 1882 and arrived in Ulleungdo on April 30. For 12 days, Lee inspected the island by land and sea. He then returned to Seoul and reported his findings to King Gojong on June 6. Lee left detailed records of his mission in Daily Inspection Records of Ulleungdo.

Prime mover of King Gojong's "Edict for the Reclamation of Ulleungdo"

Stone engravings in Hakpo

In his daily inspection records, Lee Gyu-won left detailed descriptions of the 140 or so Koreans living in Ulleungdo at the time of his inspection in 1882 as well as the island's topography; daily weather conditions, including special weather events; flora and fauna; and local specialty products. He also made left very detailed records of what he did and felt. He met with the 78 Japanese engaged in illegal logging on the island to let them know the island belonged to Korea and ordered them to leave. At that time, Japan had recognized on multiple occasions that Ulleungdo was Korean territory. Lee's inspection, however, found that illegal logging by Japanese citizens was taking place. It became an important reason and justification for hastening the reclamation of Ulleungdo.

In regard to the special assignment of determining the habitability of Ulleungdo, Lee pointed to Nari-dong, the island's flattest stretch of land, as a safe area suited for some 1,000 households. He also identified 8 other areas suitable for human settlements as well 20 locations fit to serve as seaports. As a matter of fact, the local population of Ulleungdo today is concentrated in the very areas identified by Lee, attesting to Lee's keen insight and sound judgment.

When he reported his findings to King Gojong, Lee stressed the importance of holding onto Ulleungdo and the need to issue a stern protest to Japan regarding its citizens' illegal logging on the island. Following Lee's recommendations, King Gojong issued an edict ordering the reclamation of Ulleungdo and wrote a letter to the Japanese government. What might have happened to Ulleungdo and Dokdo if the edict for the reclamation of Ulleungdo had never been issued in 1883? Not only Dokdo but also Ulleungdo would be at the center of a territorial dispute with Japan. This is the reason why the "Edict for the Reclamation of Ulleugdo", the product of Lee Gyu-won's outstanding work and King Gojong's determination to protect the territorial integrity of Korea, is so significant. Ultimately, the edict reconfirmed Korea's sovereignty over Ulleungdo to Japan and also became an important means of proving that Dokdo is in fact Korean territory. As such, the importance of Lee Gyu-won's inspection work, which provided the basis for the timely issuance of the edict ordering the reclamation of Ulleungdo, cannot be overstated.