200 kilometers to Dokdo

Singer Kim Jang-hoon (front) swims in a boat Monday after attending a ceremony to launch a swimming relay to the Dokdo islets. Participants will swim in a 200-kilometer relay from the port of Jukbyeon in Uljin County, North Gyeongsang Province, to Dokdo. Built to ensure safe swimming to Korea’s easternmost islets, the vessel will be pulled by a tug boat to navigate to Dokdo by keeping pace with the swimmers. More than 100 people attended the ceremony including actor Song Il-guk, Sungshin Women’s University professor Seo Kyung-deok, who is an expert in the international promotion of Korea, the rock band Pia, and students from Korea National Sport University.

yohan@donga.com