Euljimundeok Project

The Great victory at Salsu River
It was a battle in which Goguryeo definitively defeated the invasion of the Sui Emperor Yang in 612. Emperor Yang came with an army of 305,000 soldiers, but less than 3000 returned alive. 

Goguryeo army was led by General Eulji Mundeok.
While facing each other at the Yalu, General Eulji penetrated the Sui army camp alone and scouted out the enemy base.

After discovering the scouting operation, the Sui army chased him. General Eulji lured them to the Pyongyang Fortress. The Sui army finally realized that they had been tricked and began retreating. It was already too late.

They faced the onslaught of the Goguryeo army that was fully prepared for the attack at Salsu, which is today’s Cheongcheon River. The shout of victory resounded around the land of Goguryeo. General Eulji increased the pride of the Korean people, and led Goguryeo to become the center of Northeast Asia. 

What made these changes possible were his bravery, wisdom, and patriotism.

Where is today’s General Eulji, who will solve the Dokdo and East Sea issues?

As of 2011, only 1.5% of world maps mark Dokdo as a Korean territory!!
Most people of the world don’t even know about Dokdo. Among world maps, 92.7% don’t even specify the territorial ownership of Dokdo, and 2.8% mark it as a disputed area.

Dokdo is clearly a Korean territory, but its territorial ownership is quite unclear on world maps. Whenever Japan makes territorial claims over Dokdo, Koreans expressed their frustration.  

Instead of responding, Japan has made cautious efforts to persuade publishers and the international community.

In the international arena, Dokdo became as vulnerable as a lantern in the wind.

Japan’s aggressive promotion of Takeshima
Japanese government’s deliberate attempt to make an issue of the naming of Dokdo

To counter Japan’s action, young Koreans must take a step further beyond quiet diplomacy.
Free distribution of world maps with the accurate names of Dokdo and the East Sea to foreign schools. VANK and its members already took their first step.

Hundreds of thousands of world maps were already sent to foreign school by VANK and its members.
Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK) is transforming young Koreans into General Eulji.

VANK’s General Eulji of the 21st century

Modern-day General Eulji is eliminating world maps with the wrong names of the Sea of Japan and Takeshima from schools across the world. 

Instead, they spread world maps with the accurate names of the East Sea and Dokdo.
VANK members actively make foreign friends, and ask them to put the VANK-made world maps in their workplaces and other areas. 

Goguryeo’s General Eulji went by himself into the Sui camp of 305,000 soldiers. Following his example, young Koreans step into the flood of errors about Dokdo and the East Sea.

Hello,
My name is Misun Kim. I live in Tauranga, New Zealand.
I attend a school of 2,500 students.
If you send me a world map, I will ask our librarian to put it up in our library.
I will protect Dokdo!
- 21st century General Eulji, Misun Kim

I didn’t know why we need to protect Dokdo.
I just assumed that all textbooks in other countries mark Dokdo as it is.

I feel proud that my small effort to promote the East Sea to my foreign friends will contribute to disseminating the accurate name of the East Sea to the seven billion people of the world. 
- 21st century General Eulji, Seungmi Nam

My Indonesia friend Panji put a world map from VANK on the main school board and introduced it to his friends.

I hope all Koreans can feel this strong sense of satisfaction and joy from recovering our lost territories.
- 21st century General Eulji, Eulee Cho

Initially, my friend didn’t believe that the East Sea is a legitimate name. However, he was eventually convinced, after I explained the historical justification of the name East Sea and sent a VANK world map. Then, he convinced his father, and his father put the VANK world map on his hospital board.

I hope all his neighbors get to know that the East Sea belongs to Korea.
- 21st century General Eulji, Subin Cho

VANK tells young Koreans who want to become a General Eulji.

“Don’t be content with just saying that Dokdo is our land.”

For too long, we have just hoped that Japan would someday give up their ambition for Dokdo and the East Sea. We have just hoped that the people of the world would recognize Dokdo as a Korean territory.

The Independence Hall of Korea
It was built to promote the accurate history of the Japanese Occupation Period to the next generations, after the incidence of historical distortions in Japanese textbooks in 1982.

To spread the accurate perception of Dokdo and the East Sea, we need to build the Independence Hall of Korea in the minds of the six billion people of the world.

However, the conditions are poor for promoting Dokdo to the world. 

National brand value in comparison to GDP (2007)
Japan: 224%
Korea: 29%

Japan is a superstar, but Korea is like an unknown actor in the international arena. Korea’s GDP is ranked 13th, but its national brand value is at the bottom. The international community leans toward Japanese perspectives.

However, VANK and young Koreans will never give up, and continue promoting Dokdo and the East Sea to the people of the world.  Dokdo and the East Sea are not just an island and a sea. They carry the history and culture of our ancestors. We are determined to change public opinion toward Dokdo and promote Korea’s national brand to the world.

With the full support of the Korean people, we should promote the truth about Dokdo and the East Sea to the world.

Did you know that Dokdo has the image of Korea?
East island of Dokdo contains a rock called “Korean Rock” on its eastern cliff that is the shape of the Korean peninsula on its eastern cliff.

Like this, Dokdo itself testifies that it is a Korean territory.

Now, it is your turn to testify.
The day when 70 million Koreans promote Korea to the world with Dokdo in their hearts

It will be the day when Korea truly becomes the center of Asia and the gateway to Northeast Asia, and when Koreans share their dreams and friendship with the world.

Have you seen a mustard seed?

In the beginning, one grain of mustard seed is tiny, so it is even difficult to see.
However, as time goes by, it sprouts and grows branches and leaves.  
Eventually, the branches grow big enough to invite birds. 
Dreams of VANK members are like the mustard seeds.
Our dream starts so small that some people may even laugh at it.

There seems no possibility of success. However, VANK members will never give up.
They will promote the truth about Dokdo and the East Sea until the world knows it. 

One day, the people of the world will know.
Dreams of 70,000 VANK members are the future of Korea.

If one Korean makes one foreign friend, most people of the world will love Korea.
If one Korean promotes the truth about Dokdo and the East Sea, the world will know it.

The center of Asia
The gateway to Northeast Asia

Korea as a friendly country that shares friendship and dreams with everybody in the world

That is our future.