Dokdo with two ears

Lee Ham-jun represented the Republic of Korea as a diplomat for 33 years and served as the President of the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security, a research institute established with the aim to conduct studies on foreign affairs and national security matters and produce foremost diplomats. During his service, he naturally took an interest in the issue surrounding Dokdo Island and the relations between Korea and Japan.

In 2012, with the like-minded artists, he founded an arts organization called Ensemble La Mer et L'Ile to promote Dokdo Island through the arts and cultural programs.. "La Mer," meaning "the sea," refers to the East Sea, while "L'Ile," meaning "the island," refers to Dokdo Island. Together with the musicians, artists, writers and dancers registered with the organization, he is bringing people's attention to the issues related to the naming of the East Sea and Korea's sovereignty over Dokdo.

The INNERview's production crew visited the Dokdo Museum Seoul to meet Lee Ham-jun. The museum provides deep insight into the history of Dokdo Island and offers historical, geographical and legal evidence supporting Korea's sovereignty over the island.

We also had a chance to see the musicians of Ensemble La Mer et L'Ile performing at the Dokdo Museum Seoul. They have been holding a concert semiannually for the past few years, and at every concert, they've performed two or three songs about Dokdo. They are planning to release an album consisting of 10 original songs they've performed so far.

Lee Ham-jun shared his overwhelming experience of visiting Dokdo Island for the first time. Also, as a former diplomat, he emphasized the need for Japan to resolve the past issues so that the two countries can move forward and build stronger relations in the future.

Tune into The INNERview this week to meet Lee Ham-jun, the President of Ensemble La Mer et L'Ile who's raising awareness of the issues surrounding Dokdo Island and the East Sea through cultural d