Dokdo Volunteer Garrison to the exercise of national jurisdiction over Liancourt Rocks and the protection of the nation's territory." The Dokdo Volunteer Garrison showed that the territorial right of Liancourt Rocks belongs to Korea through effective control of the islands. They showed great activity symbolically and mentally, meaning that they raised patriotism and cultivated the self-consciousness of the nation. Dokdo Volunteer Garrison Dokdo Volunteer Garrison (Korean: 독도의용수비대) was a South Korean paramilitary outpost on the islands of Liancourt Rocks, which are called "Dokdo" in Korean; South Korea and Japan each claim sovereignty over them. South Korea maintained the garrison from 1953 to 1956.
Liancourt Rocks two main islets and 35 smaller rocks; the total surface area of the islets is , with the highest elevation of found at an unnamed location on the West Islet. The Liancourt Rocks lie in rich fishing grounds that may contain large deposits of natural gas. The Liancourt Rocks consist of two main islets and numerous surrounding rocks. The two main islets, called "Ojima" (男島, "Male Island") and "Mejima" (女島, "Female Island") in Japanese, and "Seodo" (, "Western Island") and "Dongdo" (, "Eastern Island") in Korean, are apart. The Western Island is the larger of the two, with a wider