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Discovery of Human Footprint Fossils and Their Meaning In 2001, Professors Kim Jeong-ryul and Kim Gyeong-su discovered strange footprint fossils on the coast while investigating the Sagye-ri area of Jeju Island. Surprisingly, they were human footprint fossils, which appeared to have been walked on two feet. Not only was this the 8th human footprint fossil discovered in the world, but fossils of bird and animal footprints, crabs, and plants were also discovered here. Such cases are rare worldwide. In recognition of this, this place is now designated as Natural Monument No. 464. Who were the owners of the footprints? A total of 500 human footprint fossils were discovered on Jeju Island. With the discovery of an unprecedented number of footprint fossils, this place is receiving attention from the academic world. Who were the owners of the footprints? To answer this question, the production team focused on the size of the footprint fossils and the date of their creation, and the results were surprising. They were people who lived on this land 20,000 years ago. Homo sapiens, who were more advanced than Homo erectus, who used Acheulean-type hand axes in Jeongok-ri, were the main characters of the Jeju Island human footprint fossils, our direct ancestors. How did the people of Jeju Island live? What kind of lives did they lead after leaving footprints on this land? Homo sapiens wore leather clothes, controlled fire, and used language, so they were no different from us today. So, are there no traces of the tools they used? In 2010, a 'spotted blade' smaller and sharper than an Acheulean-type hand axe was excavated around Cheonjiyeon Falls in Jeju Island. And according to the results of carbon dating, the people who lived here lived in the same era as those who left footprints in Sagye-ri, Jeju Island. How did they come to live on Jeju Island? How did the Paleolithic people cross the sea and settle on Jeju Island? It is presumed that Jeju Island was connected to the Korean Peninsula 20,000 years ago due to the influence of the last Ice Age. Paleolithic people could walk to Jeju Island. So why did they go all the way to Jeju Island? The key lies in the Jeju Island fossil site where a large number of animal footprints were discovered. 'History Special' traces our direct ancestors who fought against the natural environment and left their footprints on Jeju Island, the southernmost tip of the Korean Peninsula, the owner of the footprint fossils. New History Special Episode 101 - The Secret of Jeju Island Human Footprint Fossils (Aired on April 19, 2012) http://history.kbs.co.kr/