Seok Kyung-duk and Kim Nam-gil Promote 'Dokdo Sapsalgae' on Samiljeol

Seok Kyung-deok "Wanted to Promote the History of Dokdo Sapsalgae Domestically and Internationally"
Kim Nam-gil "Hope Many Netizens Watch"

[Image provided by Seokyungdeok, Professor at Sungshin Women's University]

In celebration of the upcoming Samiljeol, Professor Seokyeongdeok from Sungshin Women's University and actor Kim Nam-gil have joined forces to release a multilingual video that introduces the history of the Dokdo Sapsal dog both domestically and internationally.

The 4-minute video, released on the 27th, was co-produced with the Gyeongbuk Cultural Foundation Content Promotion Institute and is available in both Korean and English. The video primarily revisits the 2,000-year history of Korea's native dog breed, the Sapsal, and provides a detailed account of the traces of the Sapsal dog’s arrival on Dokdo. It also reveals the history of the Japanese colonial government's extermination policy against native dogs, which led to an unprecedented animal massacre and the plundering of 1.5 million Sapsal dog furs. Furthermore, it highlights the successful restoration of the breed 40 years later, resulting in its designation as a Natural Monument.

Actors Kim Nam-gil and Professor Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women's University. [Image provided by Professor Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women's University]

Professor Seokyeongdeok, who planned the video, stated, "While many netizens now know about the sea lions that symbolized Dokdo, few are aware of the history of the Dokdo Sapsal dog. Through this multilingual video, I wanted to widely share this story both at home and abroad." He added, "The video is being spread not only on YouTube but also across various social media platforms, and it is especially being shared with major Korean and international student communities worldwide to continuously raise awareness."

Actor Kim Nam-gil, who provided the Korean narration, said, "I am pleased to personally introduce the history of the Dokdo Sapsal dog with my voice in honor of this Samiljeol, and I hope many netizens at home and abroad will watch it."

Meanwhile, Professor Seokyeongdeok, who serves as the Dokdo Cultural Industry Content Ambassador for Gyeongsangbuk-do, plans to produce an animation about the Dokdo sea lions in collaboration with the Gyeongbuk Cultural Foundation Content Promotion Institute.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.