Korea JoongAng Daily - Daily News from Korea

The author is a garden designer and the CEO of OhGardens.

Audrey Hepburn's final work was not a film but a television series. "Gardens of the World" (1993), a seven-episode exploration of notable gardens, was filmed in the spring and summer of 1990. After Hepburn died on Jan. 20, 1993, the series began airing on Jan. 24 to coincide with her funeral. Her humanitarian work is well known, but her passion for gardening became widely recognized only through this series. She also left behind a line that resonated with many gardeners: "To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow."

In recent days, my colleagues and I have been busy planting tulip, allium, camassia, and daffodil bulbs in Pyeongchang in Gangwon and Busan. People walking by often stop and stare with curiosity. "Are those onions?" they ask. Given that tulips, alliums, and daffodils resemble onions and garlic, it is a natural question for anyone seeing them for the first time.

When we explain, "No, these are tulip bulbs," another question follows almost immediately. "You plant those now? Not in spring?"

Bulbs such as tulips, daffodils and alliums are among the first plants to sprout when the frozen earth begins to thaw in early spring. But for them to bloom, the bulbs must be planted now - after the leaves fall but before the ground freezes. What appears to be a harsh season for fragile bulbs is, in fact, essential. Without experiencing winter cold, they will not sense the arrival of spring and will fail to break through the soil.

As we dig deep into the soft ground with a hand trowel, burying each bulb and covering it with soil, Hepburn's words return to mind. We plant because we trust that spring will come. We trust that the bulbs will endure the winter and send up flowers despite the cold. Believing in their future is also a way of believing in our own.

There is something steadying about this quiet ritual. Planting bulbs requires us to imagine a season we cannot yet see and to accept that growth depends on time spent underground, out of view. Hepburn understood that tending a garden is an act of faith, a gesture anchored in patience and hope.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

The author is the representative of Seoul Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Today in Paris, 77 years ago, world leaders made one of the most consequential global pledges of the modern era: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). By proclaiming the UDHR, the United Nations General Assembly set out for the first time in history a consensus on the basic rights to which all people, everywhere, are entitled, simply by virtue of being human. To honor this milestone, December 10 is now celebrated as Human Rights Day around the world.

By joining the UN, all member states acknowledge that they are obliged to respect, protect and fulfill the rights in the UDHR for everyone in their country, without discrimination as to race, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. The UDHR gave birth to a global movement to safeguard human rights through legally binding treaties, which now form the core of international human rights law.

Human Rights Day is a time to take stock, with clear eyes, of the state of human rights in the world. Since its adoption, the world has witnessed significant improvement in the enjoyment of human rights enshrined in the UDHR. But today we see a pushback against even the idea of human rights. Those of us who work in the field of human rights are alarmed by unspeakable acts of violence, carried out with impunity in a growing number of crises, and a worrying slide in many places towards authoritarianism and away from democracy and accountability. Discrimination is widespread and even lauded. Civil society - organizations and people who work for the common good, independent of government - are struggling. Some are reducing or stopping their important work due to massive funding cuts. In many places, human rights defenders are under direct physical attack.

Perhaps because of this, human rights can seem to focus on the worst abuses: execution, torture, slavery, sexual and gender-based violence. Sure, human rights protect us from harm, but they also lay the foundation for a decent life - for health, education, work, happiness and safety. Think of the right to equal treatment and effective redress under the law, the right to an adequate standard of physical and mental health, the right to privacy, the freedom of movement, the right to practice one's religion (or to have none), the right to hold and express opinions, to choose one's work and receive equal pay for equal work. These are just some of the rights that the UN works to realize every day.

Our office in Seoul has been monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) since 2015. Our recent report on the last ten years of human rights in the DPRK concludes that despite some positive developments, the human rights situation in the country has not improved in the last decade and, in many instances, has degraded. Notably, the government has tightened its control over its citizens to a degree unseen elsewhere in the world. And many of these violations have been ongoing for decades.

What to do? The DPRK has voluntarily ratified five of the UN's core human rights treaties. They represent the Government's commitment to the international community that it will faithfully implement these rights for its people. These treaties provide a clear roadmap for improving the rights situation in the country, for taking a new direction, to avoid another lost decade. But, as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has said, "the human rights landscape cannot be divorced from the broader isolation that the DPRK is currently pursuing. In 2025, the country remains more closed and isolated than at almost any other time in its history". Ending isolation and improving human rights are essential to unlocking the potential of the DPRK's people, most importantly the youth.

This year's Human Rights Day asks us to remember that...

Chung Un-chan

The author, a former president of Seoul National University, is the chairman of the Korea Institute for Shared Growth.

The year draws to a close, yet Korea's national mood remains muted. Unlike the changing colors of the four seasons, today's self-portrait of the country is washed in gray. Time marches toward a new year, but diplomacy, security, the economy and people's livelihoods all seem to be running in reverse. National security faces mounting challenges amid global volatility. Democratic institutions are retreating, and economic policy drifts without direction.

Korean society remains divided between left and right, progressive and conservative, yet few seem certain what purpose these conflicts serve. Politics, which should resolve problems through dialogue and compromise, instead fuels division and resentment. It is difficult to deny that responsibility lies with the president and the ruling party.

Politics is the demanding art of setting national goals through compromise and persuasion. Leaders must prioritize and focus on shared values. Over the long term, Korea must break out of its low-growth trap and narrow the income gap to build the foundations of sustainable development. In the short term, the urgency is clear: stabilizing soaring household and government debt and addressing the rapid depreciation of the won. Most national challenges stem from the economy, and resolving issues tied to people's livelihoods is the government's most basic and important duty.

Yet the reality is sobering. Rather than preparing for foreseeable crises or securing the future of younger generations, the government appears more concerned with preserving and expanding its power. While failing to invest boldly in youth and their aspirations, it operates public finances with little restraint. The standoff over the "Yellow Envelope Bill" shows how the government, which should mediate conflict, allows confrontation to intensify. Power comes with responsibility, and the ruling bloc bears the greatest share for today's political and economic dysfunction.

The heavy-handed and selective use of special counsel investigations is also concerning. Battles over proposals such as a "tribunal for insurrection cases" have deepened social division and raised constitutional questions. Some actions suggest that political leaders, facing rising pressure, may be shifting blame onto public servants. Controversies over "KakaoTalk monitoring" and the seizure of civil servants' mobile phones have emerged as new threats to basic rights in the digital age.

Through the 1990s, Korea's economy grew under a corporate-state model in which the government, banks and companies moved in near lock step - a system often described as "Korea, Inc." There were problems, including bureaucratic overreach, but no one can deny the dedication of public officials who held the structure together. Excessive investigations today risk further discouraging young talent from entering public service, a trend already visible since the government complex relocated to Sejong. Encouraging colleagues to monitor one another or report misconduct in a climate of deep distrust will only push society further into dysfunction. Such practices must end immediately.

Laws and institutions are the safeguards of democracy and the backbone of economic progress. Shaking the systems that sustain national security and industrial competitiveness without broad consensus - and treating the judicial order as another arena for political combat - is no trivial matter. Institutions are easy to change, but once public trust is damaged, it takes decades to restore. Korea achieved its "Miracle on the Han River" through what Nobel laureate Daron Acemoglu later described as "inclusive institutions." Rather than weakening proven systems, national leadership should focus on operating them with stability and precision.

When democratic institutions falter, the nation and its economy falter in tandem. Concentrat...

Kevin Kim, the chargé d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, recently met with Unification Minister Chung Dong-young to underscore that sanctions on North Korea must remain in place. For Washington, maintaining and even strengthening sanctions is essential to reopening dialogue with Pyongyang and securing leverage in future negotiations.

What drew attention was not the substance of the message but the unusual choice of messenger. Deputy Ambassador Kevin Kim delivered Washington's position directly to the unification minister, even though sanctions are not part of the ministry's portfolio. The meeting appears connected to Minister Chung's recent efforts to restart inter-Korean engagement, including calls to adjust combined military exercises, restore the Sept. 19 military accord and question the effectiveness of sanctions. During a National Assembly audit in October, Chung said the surge in joint drills under the Yoon-Biden administrations and the scrapping of the 2018 agreement "must be overcome," adding that the continued expansion of North Korea's nuclear capabilities "under sanctions and pressure" was an "undeniable fact."

Against this backdrop, Kevin Kim's decision to meet Chung in person suggests Washington believed its position required direct clarification. His emphasis on the need for "tightly coordinated messaging" between the two allies is widely interpreted as a call for the minister to slow down and realign with alliance procedures.

Last month, the United States issued its first North Korea sanctions of the Trump administration's second term, underscoring what Kevin Kim described as the continued utility of sanctions in denuclearization diplomacy. Yet within the Korean government - where officials have long described the United States as the "peacemaker" and Korea as the "pace maker" in North Korea policy - discordant signals are emerging. According to accounts inside and outside government, Washington initially sought a joint sanctions announcement through the Multinational Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), but Seoul's reluctance prompted the United States to proceed alone.

North Korea's strengthened alignment with Russia and China, particularly after Kim Jong-un's military support for Russia's war in Ukraine, has weakened key elements of the UN sanctions regime. Kim Jong-un, who once considered a Yongbyon-for-sanctions-relief deal at the 2019 Singapore summit, now rejects any negotiations that link denuclearization to sanctions relief. International shifts may temporarily blunt the impact of sanctions, but they remain an essential diplomatic tool. When Russia vetoed the extension of the UN Panel of Experts last year, 11 countries - including Korea, the United States, and Japan - launched the MSMT for precisely that reason.

Still, the more pressing concern is the widening policy gap between Seoul and Washington. Kevin Kim has proposed regular consultations with Korea's foreign and security leadership to reinforce coordination. Minister Chung, in turn, is expected to refrain from uncoordinated public remarks and contribute to a process that ensures the allies send a single, coherent message on North Korea.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Kim Ji-ye and read by an artificial voice.

Who says people can only watch a film? That idea may soon feel outdated, as media tech company Aria Studios and theater chain CJ CGV join forces to introduce movies that listen, respond and evolve in real time based on the audience's voices and choices.

"Our audience won't just be watching, they'll be given roles and become participants in the experience," said director Chae Soo-eung, the head of Aria Studios, during a showcase introducing interactive cinema in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Tuesday.

"We believe that the kind of people who make the effort to come all the way to the theater are those who have the desire to take part, want to be seen and want to feel a sense of belonging. With that in mind, we shaped the storytelling so that the work can respond to those desires and welcome the audience into the narrative."

He added that the new cinematic experience goes beyond simple responsive design, with AI enabling the film to deliver interaction that feels more personalized and dynamic.

"Thanks to AI, we can finally create real interaction, a sense of a true exchange between the audience and the characters," he said. "We've been exploring how to translate that energy we once experienced in stage performances into a media-based format. That has been one of our main goals."

During the showcase, three interactive films - "The Haunted House Interactive," "Virtual Symphony: The First Note" and "Apartment: In the Realm of Ripley" - were partially screened.

For each film, the audience was required to speak out - a slightly awkward experience for many moviegoers - to give energy to the character, select narrative paths or interact with a virtual artist.

The first feature was the animated film "The Haunted House Interactive," based on the popular children's character Shinbi, a goblin who investigates paranormal mysteries. The film's story becomes interrupted when the mysterious "Theater Ghost" appears to take control, but the audience, dubbed Kkaebby, fights back by using their voices and steering the story. The film is set to be released in the first half of next year.

Next was "Virtual Symphony: The First Note," which follows virtual artist Moon Bo-na. During the screening, viewers engaged in real-time interaction. When the host asked the virtual character questions, she responded instantly - even pausing and tripping over her words like a real person. At one point, when asked to "look left" for photos, she naturally understood and followed, mirroring a familiar K-pop showcase moment. The film will be released in the second half of next year.

The last movie was "Apartment: In the Realm of Ripley," directed by Chae and featuring actors Jang Hyuk and Jo Bok-rae. Set in 2080, when a memory preservation system has become commercialized, the story follows a detective who enters memories of a false reality shaped by Ripley Syndrome, belonging to a boy who is the sole witness to a 2009 unsolved murder.

During the demo, the audience became the child and was asked whether to open the door when it was knocked on by an unknown figure, demonstrating how the viewer's choices alter the unfolding narrative.

The film is slated for release in the first half of next year and will mark the first title to debut with both an interactive format and a traditional version.

While the experience was interesting, there were technical glitches during "The Haunted House Interactive," as the Theater Ghost's reaction either failed to match the audience's response or was delayed.

Chae explained that "a temporary sound capture setup was used for today's showcase" and that for the official release, they "plan to screen the films in a dedicated interactive theater equipped with more advanced sound capture and an optimized operational system."

With this new format, Chae hopes to revive the social essence of moviegoing.

We wanted to create a space where people can hear and feel others' thought...

This article is by Kim Won and read by an artificial voice.

SoftBank Chairman Masayoshi Son recently warned President Lee Jae Myung that Korea's "critical weakness is energy" as it heads into the AI age.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) echoed similar concerns in its latest Energy Policy Review of Korea, released on Nov. 25, stating, " Substantial investments in new, diverse sources of electricity supply alongside reliable and resilient network infrastructure will be needed" to keep pace with growing demand and system stability needs.

According to the report, Korea is a classic case of an "isolated grid" with no connections to neighboring countries, meaning it cannot buy or sell electricity across borders like in Europe. As solar and wind power expand - sources with fluctuating output - Korea must balance supply and demand internally, increasing the costs of ensuring grid stability.

Geographic constraints further complicate matters. With a long north-south axis and a narrow east-west span, the country experiences sunrise and sunset almost simultaneously from coast to coast, limiting the time-zone advantages seen in large landmass countries like the United States or Australia. Over 70 percent of Korea's land is mountainous, and the country has one of the world's highest population densities, making it difficult to secure sites for renewable energy facilities.

Wind power projects, in particular, often face delays due to concerns about forest damage, disputes over visual impact, military radar interference, bird strikes and noise complaints. Building transmission lines also takes years due to environmental assessments, resident opposition and land compensation disputes. The IEA labeled these issues "bottlenecks" due to the geography and structure of energy supply unique to Korea.

The agency concluded that such conditions slow the expansion of renewables while undermining grid reliability. Even with similar facilities, Korea faces higher costs and slower progress due to physical limitations and lower public acceptance. Son's remark comparing Korea and Japan as countries that are "geographically and structurally disadvantaged in securing energy" reflects these factors.

Compounding the issue is the structure of the electricity market. Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) controls generation subsidiaries, transmission, distribution and retail, while the government regulates consumer electricity prices. Rates remain below the OECD average, but this has reduced investment incentives, as fuel and carbon costs are not fully reflected in prices. Kepco's debt, meanwhile, has surpassed 200 trillion won ($136 billion).

As solutions, the IEA called for a diversified power portfolio and structural reforms. These include building a "renewable portfolio standard" that combines nuclear power, renewables, hydrogen and energy storage systems; establishing an independent regulator to oversee the electricity, gas and hydrogen sectors; and implementing national land-use planning to reduce siting conflicts over renewables, transmission lines and hydrogen infrastructure.

"Expanding renewables alone won't guarantee sufficient electricity when it's needed," said Moon Joo-hyun, an energy engineering professor at Dankook University. "If you're going to invest in AI, data centers and GPUs, you also need to present accompanying infrastructure plans, including power and cooling water."

"Japan has sent a clear message that the state is responsible for electricity by restarting nuclear plants and expanding liquefied natural gas," said Yoo Seung-hoon, a professor of energy policy at SeoulTech. "Korea, too, needs to clarify its direction for power mix and grid investment, so that companies can believe this is a country where electricity will be reliably supplied."

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-as...

This article is by Kim Ji-ye and read by an artificial voice.

When Netflix's "Physical: Asia" - an Olympic-like tournament where teams from eight countries from the Asia-Pacific region compete against each other in strength and endurance challenges - first premiered, few expected Team Mongolia would become the breakout favorites.

However, soon after the show debuted, social media was flooded with comments, hashtags and even video edits featuring the Mongolian athletes, ranging from fan art to detailed breakdowns of the contestants' skills.

One comment that received more than 800 likes on YouTube said, "I'm Korean, but the Mongolian contestants were so charming and I couldn't help but be drawn to them. They have some kind of power to make me root for them. Just by watching them, my heart races and I even want to visit Mongolia someday. Anyway, they're just truly likable."

In addition, even casual interactions between the Mongolian and Korean contestants were enough to spark online buzz.

Amotti from Team Korea recently uploaded a collaboration video on his personal YouTube channel with Team Mongolia's leader Orkhonbayar Bayarsaikhan and Team Australia's Eddie Williams, which went viral on his channel. The clip has now reached nearly 2 million views, roughly four times higher than the views on his other "Physical: Asia" - related content.

The video's comments also flooded in, many mentioning Mongolia and urging the Korean contestant to visit the country after Bayarsaikhan gifted Amotti a bottle of Mongolian vodka and silver shot glasses. Korean viewers later learned that this gesture represents respect and friendship in Mongolian culture.

Fans also playfully advocated for Korean wrestler Jang Eun-sil and Mongolian MMA fighter Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhu to date, after he posted an Instagram story showing interest in her. Their actual in-person meeting clip in Mongolia later surpassed 8 million views on Instagram.

Interest, moreover, soon expanded beyond the show and its cast, with some viewers posting inquiries about traveling to Mongolia after watching it.

All this led the streamer to put together a spinoff, "Physical: Welcome to Mongolia," which follows Team Korea leader Kim Dong-hyun and Amotti as they travel through Mongolia on an itinerary created by Bayarsaikhan himself. Mongolian circus artist Lkhagva-Ochir Erdene-Ochir is also set to appear in the upcoming spinoff, which will be released on Christmas Eve.

It is evident that Team Mongolia's respectful attitudes, calm demeanor and undeniable physical dominance have won the hearts of Korean viewers, but there might be more to this support beyond merely appreciating the competition.

Quiet but strong

Team Mongolia entered the show as somewhat of an underdog at the beginning of the show, with much of the early spotlight focused on Australia and Japan. For Korean viewers in particular, interest was naturally directed toward the longtime Korea-Japan rivalry, a dynamic shaped by cultural and historic context. As a result, Mongolia wasn't able to attract the same level of attention at first.

However, it gradually changed as the program moved forward, and it was during the second quest that Team Mongolia started to step more into the limelight, after finishing third overall behind Korea and Australia in the tough challenge of moving heavy wooden crates and sacks across a shipwreck set. They demonstrated strong stamina, discipline and teamwork, capturing the hearts of Korean viewers.

Experts say this element of unpredictability boosted the Korean audience engagement, especially as the team continued advancing step by step.

"Before the show, Mongolia wasn't as widely recognized in Korea compared to the other countries, but as the team delivered far better results than expected, they stepped into the role of an underdog," pop culture critic Seong Sang-min said. "I think that unexpected success is exactly what made people root for them."

Another pop culture critic, Ha Jae-geun, also echo...

This article is by Kim Chul-woong and read by an artificial voice.

Korea pays artificial intelligence specialists far less than the United States, and its seniority-based wage system is accelerating a talent drain overseas, a report showed on Friday.

Workers with AI skills earned 6 percent more than those without such skills last year, the Bank of Korea's (BOK) Labor Market Research Team and Park Geun-yong, a professor at the National University of Singapore Business School, found.

The report defined AI talent as workers with at least one of 12 skills tied to AI, such as machine learning and big data.

The AI premium has risen steadily from 1.3 percent in 2010. Even so, Korea trails major economies. The AI wage premium reaches 25 percent in the United States, 18 percent in Canada and about 15 percent in Britain, France and Australia.

"Korean AI talent working overseas accounted for about 16 percent in 2024, six percentage points higher than other workers," said Oh Sam-il, an economist at the BOK.

"The number of Koreans with AI skills working in the United States rose to 6,300 last year as a large number of jobs and strong treatment in the U.S. AI industry pulled domestic talent overseas," he added.

Roughly 11,000 Korean AI specialists were working abroad last year, with more than half based in the United States.

"AI workers tend to be younger because interest in AI began rising in the early 2010s. Korea's seniority-based pay system does put them at a disadvantage," said BOK economist Suh Dong-hyun.

The study analyzed more than 1.1 million Korean workers and over 10 million job history records from 2010 to 2024.

Researchers also surveyed human resources managers at about 400 companies and used profile data from global employment platform LinkedIn to assess the size, wages and mobility of AI talent.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Han Young-hye and read by an artificial voice.

Foreigners purchasing homes in Korea's land transaction permission zones will soon be required to submit funding plans and supporting documents when reporting the transaction.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced Monday that the revised Enforcement Decree of the Act of Report on Real Estate Transactions, which includes the new requirement, was promulgated that day and will take effect on Feb. 10. The revision is a follow-up measure to the designation of land transaction permission zones in August, aimed at curbing speculative buying of domestic real estate by foreigners.

The government previously designated all of Seoul and most of the greater capital region as land transaction permission zones after mounting criticism that foreign buyers were bypassing local lending regulations and inflating housing prices by purchasing high-end properties with overseas funds without actually residing in them.

The designated zones include all of Seoul, 23 out of 31 cities and counties in Gyeonggi - excluding Yangju, Icheon, Uijeongbu, Dongducheon, Yangpyeong, Yeoju, Gapyeong and Yeoncheon - and seven districts in Incheon, excluding Dong District, Ganghwa County and Ongjin County.

As a result, since Aug. 26 last year, foreign buyers seeking to purchase residential properties within these zones have been required to live in them for at least two years.

The key change in the revised enforcement decree is the addition of new provisions to more closely scrutinize the buyer's purpose and funding source. The revision mandates that foreign buyers include their visa status and proof of residence in Korea for at least 183 days in the transaction report.

The ministry said it expects the change to help prevent illegal activities such as unauthorized rental operations, tax evasion and abuse of property management systems.

In particular, foreigners buying property within land transaction permission zones will now be required to submit a funding plan and supporting documentation. This must include details of overseas funds - such as loans or deposits - along with the names of the financial institutions, as well as domestic sources like assumed deposits and business-related loans.

The Land Ministry said the new rules would make it easier and faster to investigate speculative transactions and impose taxes to ensure fair taxation.

"With this enforcement decree revision, we now have a legal framework to block speculative real estate activity by foreigners," said Park Jun-hyeong, director-general for land policy at the ministry. "We aim to stabilize housing prices by reinforcing a transaction order centered on actual demand."

Foreign home purchases in the greater capital region dropped to 1,080 cases from September to November, a 40 percent decline compared to the same period last year. Seoul saw the largest drop at 49 percent, with Gangnam District, Seocho District, Songpa District and Yongsan District all down by 48 percent.

Chinese buyers accounted for the largest share of transactions at 72 percent, but purchases by both Chinese and U.S. nationals declined significantly - by 39 percent and 41 percent, respectively. The number of proxy manager registrations filed by foreign buyers in the region also plunged, with only one case recorded in Gyeonggi during the three-month period - a 98 percent drop from 56 cases reported during the same time last year.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Cho Jung-woo and read by an artificial voice.

GOHEUNG, South Jeolla - The blue sea glints under the sun along the coast of South Jeolla as waves lap against Sorok Island's pine-lined road. In the stillness, an automatic wheelchair whirrs as it carries its occupant toward Sorokdo National Hospital.

A large stop sign soon appears on the path.

"Tourists banned from entering the village," the sign reads. "Entry and filming are limited from here as it is a living area for residents."

Beyond this border lie six villages, home to the remaining residents of Sorokdo, an isolated island in Goheung County, South Jeolla, long associated with one of Korea's most painful histories.

This remote place, nearly 340 kilometers (211 miles) from Seoul, is where thousands of Koreans with leprosy were once forcibly sent and isolated. It remains the site of Korea's only national hospital dedicated to leprosy.

The 4.4-square-kilometer (1,087-acre) island, once reachable only by boat, has been connected to the mainland since a bridge opened in 2009. Public transportation, however, still doesn't go there. Entry to the island is restricted to visiting hours between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and a security checkpoint stands at the entrance.

Once home to more than 6,200 residents after being designated as a leper colony during Japanese colonial rule (1910-45), Sorok Island has grown quiet and sparse. Just 324 people live there now, with the average age over 79. All recovered from the disease long ago.

The island where they spent their youth has become, for most, the place where they now expect their lives to end.

But for some still on the island, Sorok Island has been the only home they have known since childhood.

"I came here alone when I was 13," said Nam Jae-kwon, now 84, sitting in his residence in a village on Sorok Island, where he lives with his wife.

Nam, who lost one of his legs to complications from leprosy, has spent about 71 years on the island, but not by choice.

"I didn't volunteer," he said quietly. "I was basically recruited."

A century of isolation

Nam, who uses an electric wheelchair, rolled past tightly clustered neighboring residences and stopped at his own door. Inside, the house was tidy and modest, with a small kitchen and a living room. One wall was entirely covered with photographs of Nam and his family.

"There were groups of people who went around once or twice a month to gather those like us," Nam said, recalling how he was taken by police and the head of his village from his home in Gwangyang on the mainland of South Jeolla.

During Japan's colonial rule over Korea, the Government-General founded Jahye Hospital, the predecessor of the current Sorokdo National Hospital, in 1916, forcibly sending leprosy patients to the island for isolation.

Nam's recruitment to the island followed the arrival of Western missionaries who began treating leprosy patients in Korean cities such as Busan, Gwangju and Daegu in the early 1910s. The Japanese administration, wary of those missions, chose instead to establish its own segregated facility.

"My mother kept me home because she knew I was ill," he said. But at 9, he went to school anyway, determined to live like other children. He lasted only a single day.

"The teacher noticed immediately," Nam said. "Word spread through the village. After that, I stayed inside for three years before being sent to Sorok Island."

Nam was never formally diagnosed before being sent away.

"I never saw a doctor," he said. "Coming to Sorok Island was considered the diagnosis."

Leprosy, now curable with multidrug therapy, primarily attacks the skin and peripheral nerves and can lead to permanent disabilities if left untreated. The disease is believed to spread through prolonged exposure to droplets from the nose and mouth of an untreated patient carrying the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, though it is not transmitted through casual contact. Once treatment begins, patients quickly become noninfectiou...