Silmido (), or Silmi Island, is an uninhabited island in Incheon, South Korea. The island is in the

Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea, also known as the North Sea, is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. Names It is one of four ...

and is closest to

Muuido Muuido (), also known as Muui Island, is an island in Incheon, South Korea. It is a small island located south of Yongyu Island, which was joined with Yeongjong Island through land reclamation when Incheon International Airport was built. De ...

, which is connected to the mainland by ferry. It is about southwest of

Yongyu Island Yeongjong Island () is an island in Jung District, Incheon, South Korea. It contains Incheon International Airport as well as small villages, farms, and beaches. The previously separate Yongyu, Sammok, and Sinbul Islands have been joined to Yeon ...

, where

Incheon International Airport Incheon International Airport is the main international airport serving Seoul, the capital of South Korea. It is also one of the largest and busiest airports in the world. This airport opened for business on 29 March 2001, to replace the old ...

is located. Most of Silmido island consists of hills that are around high.

Unit 684

On January 21, 1968, a group of 31 North Korean military soldiers were sent to South Korea by

Kim Il Sung Kim Il Sung (born Kim Song Ju; 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a North Korean politician and the founder of North Korea, which he led as its first Supreme Leader (North Korean title), supreme leader from North Korea#Founding, its establishm ...

to kill President

Park Chung Hee Park Chung Hee (; ; November14, 1917October26, 1979) was a South Korean politician and army officer who served as the third president of South Korea from 1962 after he seized power in the May 16 coup of 1961 until Assassination of Park Chung ...

. A firefight began when the commandos were just 800 yards from the

Blue House Cheong Wa Dae (), also known as the Blue House in English, is a public park that was the former Office of the President of South Korea, executive office and residence of the president of South Korea. Located in Seoul's Jongno District, directl ...

(the South Korean Presidential Palace). The attempt failed and all but two of the 31 North Koreans were either killed by the South Korean security forces or committed suicide. In retaliation for the attack, South Korea established a secret military unit,

Unit 684 209th Detachment, 2325th Group (), commonly known as Unit 684 (684부대), was a special forces unit of the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) that specialized in black operation, direct action, irregular warfare, long-range penetration, and spe ...

, to assassinate Kim Il Sung. From January 21, 1968, to August 23, 1971, Silmido served as the training ground for the unit. Under circumstances which remain unclear, the members of the group mutinied and went to

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

in 1971, where they were killed or committed

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

. The 2003 film

Silmido Silmido (), or Silmi Island, is an uninhabited island in Incheon, South Korea. The island is in the Yellow Sea and is closest to Muuido, which is connected to the mainland by ferry. It is about southwest of Yongyu Island, where Incheon Inte ...

is about Unit 684 and depicts the island.

References

{{Authority control Uninhabited islands of South Korea Islands of Incheon Islands of the Yellow Sea

Unit 684

See also

References