Silmido
Overview
Silmido (Korean: 실미도; Hanja: 實尾島) is an uninhabited island in Jung-gu, Incheon, administratively located at San 1, Deokgyo-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon. Its original name derives from the native Korean toponym Silmido, and after the January 21 Incident of 1968 (the armed guerrilla infiltration by Kim Shin-jo), the special forces unit Unit 684 was stationed there, making it the stage for one of the most tragic incidents in modern Korean history. It became widely known to the public through director Kang Woo-suk's 2003 film Silmido.
Main Content
Geographical Features
Silmido is a small island of about 0.25 km² located off the coast of Incheon. Together with Muuido, Sindo, Sido, and others, it forms a cluster of islands in Jung-gu, Incheon, and because it lies far from the mainland, it has the geographical characteristic of being difficult to contact with the outside. This isolation was a decisive reason it was chosen as a secret training site for Unit 684. Currently, access by the general public is restricted, and like other border areas such as the Five West Sea Islands, it is subject to military and security management.
Background of Unit 684's Establishment
On January 21, 1968, 31 North Korean armed guerrillas infiltrated the South with the aim of raiding the Blue House, an event known as the January 21 Incident. As a retaliatory measure, the Park Chung-hee government decided to establish a top-secret special forces unit aimed at assassinating Kim Il-sung and organized Unit 684 under the Air Force. The name came from its establishment in April 1968. The unit was stationed on Silmido and received about three years of harsh training. Most of its members were former soldiers, but the unit also included convicts whose death sentences had been finalized and death-row inmates; they were offered the opportunity for pardon upon completing the mission, under the condition that their death sentences would otherwise be executed.
Tragic Ending
On August 23, 1971, as dialogue for easing inter-Korean tensions proceeded, the mission itself was canceled. Having received only training and with their very existence denied, the unit members raised the issue of their right to survive and attempted to escape. They escaped Silmido and landed on the Incheon mainland, and in the course of their movement they caused several deaths among civilians, police, and soldiers. After a suppression operation by the military and police, most were killed or arrested, and ultimately it took a long time for the government's official announcement and investigation of the truth.
Investigation and Assessment
The Silmido incident began to be reexamined in earnest after the 1990s. The existence of Unit 684 and its tragic fate are evaluated as a case symbolizing the issue of state violence, the use of death-row inmates and human rights violations, and the cruel shadow of North-South confrontation under the Cold War system. Director Kang Woo-suk's 2003 film Silmido served as an opportunity to publicize the incident to the public, drawing 10 million viewers and leaving a significant mark on Korean film history.
Recent Developments
As of 2024–2025, the Silmido incident remains an ongoing task regarding a complete state-level investigation of the truth and the restoration of the honor of bereaved families. Since the 2010s, the Supreme Court has issued some rulings related to restoring the honor of Unit 684 members, but debates continue over state compensation for their bereaved families and the disclosure of the victims' list. Access to the Silmido area is still restricted, and voices from civil society are growing for its use as a historical and educational space symbolizing peace and unification. In addition, whenever inter-Korean relations become strained, the Silmido incident is recalled as a Cold War legacy and stimulates social discussion on security, human rights, and historical reckoning. In 2025, local government-level plans are being considered to redevelop the islands off Incheon as spaces for peace, ecology, and historical experience, but due to military and security reasons, the question of opening Silmido itself is being approached cautiously.
Related Topics
- [[January 21 Incident]]
- [[Unit 684]]
- [[Kim Shin-jo]]
- [[Kang Woo-suk]]
- [[Silmido (film)]]
- [[Incheon]]