Port Hamilton, Island group off Yeosu, South Korea
Port Hamilton is a group of small islands off the coast of Yeosu-si in southern South Korea. The shores are mostly rocky, with patches of low bushes and grass, and the water around them is open and exposed to the sea.
In 1885, the British Navy briefly occupied the islands to hold a strategic position against Russia, naming the place after the British naval minister Hamilton. Britain withdrew in 1887 following pressure from Russia and China.
Port Hamilton is a name given by the British Navy in the 19th century, after a British naval minister. Visitors today can feel the layered past of the islands simply by walking along the rocky shore and looking out at the sea.
The islands are reachable by boat from Yeosu, and travel times vary depending on the departure point. It is worth bringing your own supplies, as there are no shops or food services on the islands.
Although the British occupation lasted only two years, Port Hamilton is one of the few places on the Korean peninsula that is still widely known by an English name today. Its Korean name, Geomundo, remains in parallel use.
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