This thesis examines the role of Dokdo Island in relation to Korean national identity. Within the Korean national consciousness, the island serves as a significant national symbol rooted in the colonial past. In 1905, Dokdo became the first Korean territory to be officially occupied by Japan, placing it at the core of Korean historical trauma and collective memory. Korean nationalism and the concept of minjok, which emphasizes common ancestry and ethnic unity, developed as a response to colonialism. The territorial dispute between South Korea and Japan is based on conflicting historical and legal interpretations. Korea accentuates its continuous administration of the island, while Japan claims that the territory was terra nullius in 1905. Today, both governmental and civil initiatives ensure that Dokdo is actively present in the everyday life of Koreans through the school curriculum, commercial goods, and cultural and digital content, aimed primarily at younger generations. Its strong symbolic role in national identity makes a near-term resolution of the Dokdo dispute improbable.
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