Gov't to host Dokdo exhibition

Children at the Dokdo Gallery at National Library for Children and Young Adults in February (Yonhap News)

Starting on April 4, The Korean government will hold a large-scale exhibition on Dokdo, the easternmost island of Korea, to promote Korea's sovereignty over the island. The exhibit is part of Korea’s response to recent Japanese history textbooks that reiterate disputed Japanese territorial claims to the island.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said on March 25 that it will hold a joint exhibition on Dokdo in cooperation with the Northeast Asian History Foundation and other groups promoting Korea’s sovereignty over the islands at the Independence Hall of Korea in Cheonan, South Chuncheong Province.

According to the ministry, this is the first government-level Dokdo event. It is supported by Dokdo-related civic groups, 16 local education offices and the Dokdo Museum.

The exhibition will be held in Cheonan until May 22 and at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul from June 13 to July 31. It will then move to Pusan National University in Busan, South Gyeongsang Province from September 19 to November 4 and finally to the Gwangju Folk Museum in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province from Nov. 15 to December 16.
The exhibition will help students learn more about Dokdo and offer an opportunity to raise public awareness, the Education Ministry said.

The exhibition will include historic records, photos and video clips from government organizations, private organizations and civic groups. There will also be Dokdo-related events, including education programs, academic seminars and essay writing events for students.

In February, the Education Ministry developed a special education program to teach primary, middle and high school students about Dokdo and sent the program manual to all schools in the country.