On March 2, 2026, Kim Sin-yeol passed away at the age of 88. She was the last person officially registered as a resident of Dokdo, meaning the iconic islets now have no civilian residents for the first time in decades.
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| Kim Sin-yeol, the last resident of Dokdo, passed away at the age of 88 |
A Life That Became Part of Dokdo’s History
Back in the late 1960s, her husband Kim Sung-do moved his family to the remote islands.
The couple spent nearly 50 years fishing and living on Dokdo, eventually becoming powerful symbols of Korea’s practical sovereignty over the islands.
In 1991, they were officially registered as residents.
Even during elections, the couple famously cast their ballots directly from the island, reinforcing Dokdo’s civilian presence.
The End of an Era
After her husband passed away in 2018, Mrs. Kim continued living alone on the island.
But a series of events slowly ended that life:
• 2018 – Kim Sung-do passed away
• 2020 – Typhoon Haishen destroyed her home, forcing her to move to the mainland
• 2021 – The house was repaired, but her declining health prevented her return
• March 2, 2026 – She passed away at her daughter’s home in Pohang
Why No One Lives on Dokdo Now
Although many people have applied to register residency on Dokdo, approvals are extremely rare.
That’s because the islands are designated National Natural Monument No. 336, meaning strict conservation rules apply:
• Construction is heavily restricted
• Infrastructure is extremely limited
• Permanent civilian settlement is discouraged
Today, about 40 personnel from the Korean Coast Guard and Dokdo Management Office remain stationed there, but they are temporary staff, not registered residents.
A Growing Concern
Some experts worry that a prolonged absence of civilian residents could become politically sensitive.
According to data from the Japanese government, 112 Japanese citizens have symbolically registered residency claims tied to Dokdo, a number that has quadrupled since 2005 amid campaigns by nationalist groups.
For many Koreans, the story of the Kim family remains a powerful reminder that Dokdo is not just a remote rock in the sea — it is a place people once truly called home.