The government of Joseon dispatched officials to Ulleungdo for the evacuation of the island’s residents to the mainland. This is known as the Repatriation Policy.

This was one of the island policies adopted by the government of Joseon considering the risks of pillage by Japanese pirates on Joseon’s islands, not an act of relinquishing Joseon’s sovereignty over Ulleungdo.

This is evidenced by the fact that the Joseon government continued to exercise sovereignty over Ulleungdo by dispatching officials to the islands. In the early Joseon period, special government agents (sunsimgyeongchagwan) were dispatched to Ulleungdo. During the reign of King Sukjong, the Joseon government implemented a government patrol and inspection system whereby officials were regularly dispatched to Ulleungdo and other such places. The dispatch of officials continued until the system was abolished in 1895.