Ryŏdo: Difference between revisions
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{{short description|Island of North Korea}} |
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| caption = Wonsan Harbor during the Korea War, "Yo-do" is in the centre |
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Revision as of 08:04, 9 August 2018
| Ryŏdo | |
 Wonsan Harbor during the Korea War, "Yo-do" is in the centre | |
| Korean name | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | [[wikt:|]]도 |
| Revised Romanization | Ryodo |
| McCune–Reischauer | Ryŏdo |
Ryodo Island (sometimes called Yodo or Yodo-ri) is an island in Wonsan harbor in Kangwŏn Province, North Korea.
History
Korean War
Following the evacuation of Wonsan by United Nations Command (UNC) forces in December 1950 in the face of the Chinese Second Phase Offensive, UNC forces instituted the Blockade of Wonsan. On 14 February 1951, following a preliminary reconnaissance the previous day, a joint United States Marine Corps (USMC) and Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC) force landed on Ryodo and proceeded to occupy the island which was populated by approximately 100 North Korean civilians.[1] The USMC and ROKMC forces then proceeded to occupy most other islands in Wonsan Bay, including Sindo, Sodo, Daedo, Modo, Sado, Wungdo and Hwangtodo by 4 March 1951.[1]: 440 Due to its strategic location at the entrance to Wonsan Harbor the United States Navy established observation posts on Ryodo and other islands which were used to track movements within the harbor and identify targets.[1]: 440 On 31 March 1951 Republic of Korea Army Headquarters of Intelligence Department (HID) established an outpost of Ryodo and used it for intelligence gathering, particularly the infiltration of spies into North Korea.[1]: 456
Many of the civilian population on Ryodo were voluntarily evacuated to South Korea.[1]: 440 During the UNC occupation Korean People's Army (KPA) prisoners captured during operations against North Korea were brought to the island for interrogation and those wishing to defect were allowed to remain on the island, in addition North Korean civilian defectors sought refuge on the island. North Korean intelligence attempted to infiltrate the UNC operations on Ryodo and those suspected of being North Korean spies were moved to prisoner camps in South Korea.[1]: 125
On 9 June 1952 a 78-man US Navy Seebee unit arrived on Ryodo and by 25 June they had completed construction of a 2,400-foot (730 m) airfield named Briscoe Field after Admiral Robert P. Briscoe.[1]: 480
Ryodo was periodically bombarded by KPA artillery batteries around Wonsan throughout its occupation by the UNC and so facilities were constructed to maximize the protection offered by the island's terrain.[1]: 126
Following the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement on 27 July 1953, UNC forces completed the evacuation of Ryodo on the evening of 1 August 1953.[1]: 491