Ulleungdo

Ulleungdo is a volcanic island in the East Sea, about 120 km east of the Korean mainland. It is the top of a large volcano rising from the seabed, so most of its coast is sheer cliff, and the highest point, Seonginbong, reaches 984 metres. With an area of 72.86 km² it is Korea's ninth-largest island, and because the only way in is by boat, life here runs at its own pace.

History: from Usan-guk to Ulleung County

Dolmens and pottery show that people lived here as far back as the Bronze Age. The Samguk sagi chronicle records the island as the small kingdom of Usan-guk, conquered in 512 by the Silla general Isabu. According to one story he brought wooden lions on his ships and threatened to set them loose unless the islanders surrendered.

The island was absorbed by Goryeo around 930, suffered raids by Jurchen and Japanese pirates, and was for a long time kept deliberately uninhabited under Joseon's "empty island" policy. That policy was dropped in 1881 and settlers returned. In the 1690s the fisherman An Yong-bok clashed with Japan over fishing rights, and between 1848 and 1892 American whaling ships hunted right whales in the surrounding waters. Once part of Gangwon, the island has belonged to North Gyeongsang Province since 1914, and today it looks mainly to Pohang on the mainland.

What to see

• Seonginbong: the central peak, reached by trails through old-growth forest.
• Nari Basin: the island's only flat land, a caldera formed when the volcano's summit collapsed, ringed on its south-east and south-west sides by cliffs about 500 metres high. A second, smaller cone, Albong (538 m), rose inside it, creating a rare double-volcano structure. Like Baengnokdam on Hallasan it once held a lake, which drained and filled with sediment.
• Coastal walkway: a path of bridges and steps clings to the sea cliffs just above the waves.
• Jukdo and Gwaneumdo: small islets off the east coast; the view down to Jukdo from the lookout is a favourite.
• Chotdaebawi (Candle Rock): a 30-metre basalt column rising straight out of the sea near Dodong harbour, often seen on round-island boat trips.
• Bongnae Falls and the natural icehouse: two of the island's best-known sights. From one of the coastal cliffs you can make out Dokdo on a clear day.
• Harbour life: rows of squid drying in the sun are the classic Ulleungdo image. Warm and cold currents meet offshore, making these rich fishing grounds.
• Boats to Dokdo: trips to Dokdo leave from Sadong, Jeodong and Dodong ports. The distance between the two islands is about 87.4 km.

Good to know

• European sailors once called it Dagelet Island.
• The last eruption is thought to have happened around 5,000 years ago.
• Around 650 plant species grow here, and some 50 bird species live on the island, including the Japanese wood pigeon. Beech, Japanese white pine and hemlock form much of the forest.
• The coastline is about 56.5 km long and made up mostly of high cliffs.
• Population figures differ: sources give about 9,000 or about 10,400 residents.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: ferries run from Pohang and Mukho (Donghae), among other ports. Over the 2026 Chuseok holiday a large car ferry from Pohang arrived at Sadong after an early-morning departure, and a fast ferry from Mukho docked at Dodong. Sources give the crossing as about 3.5 hours from Pohang and 2 hours 50 minutes from Mukho.
• Cancellations: wind and waves in the East Sea often stop the boats. Leave at least one spare day and book your return in advance.
• Dokdo sailings, for example: on the first day of Chuseok 2026, boats to Dokdo left Sadong at 06:30, Jeodong at 08:20 and 14:25 and Dodong at 15:30. Schedules change by date, so check with the operators.
• Dokdo: even on fine days, boats sometimes cannot dock at Dokdo because of local sea conditions and return without landing. Check the docking forecast before you sail.
• Time needed: two nights and three days let you circle the island and see Seonginbong or Nari Basin.
• Distances: the nearest point on the mainland, Jukbyeon in Uljin, is about 130 km away in a straight line; by sea it is about 217 km from Pohang.
• Airport: Ulleung Airport is under construction; check official announcements for the opening date.
• A proposal to make the island a marine national park in 2002 was dropped after local opposition, so it is not a national park.
• Getting around: a coastal ring road with many tunnels circles the island. It is narrow and winding in places, so take your time if you drive.