Sea Kumgang has a spectacular scenery as if the unparalleled beauty of Mt. Kumgang moved to the seaside. The wonderful lakescape along the shore, the seascape with whitecaps, strange cliffs and fantastic rocks looking as if they were made by skilled hands, islets in the sea showing off their natural beauty, and the birds flying over them—these all make up a great attraction on the shore, adding beauty to the mountain. The area features such sights as Lagoon Samil, Janggundae, Chungsong Pavilion, Kumgang Gate, and Sagong (boatman) and Chotae (candlestick) rocks.
Waves of Sea Kumgang
In Sea Kumgang you can also enjoy the grand and curious spectacles of Outer Kumgang and the scenery of the Nam River flowing to the East Sea of Korea. Sea Kumgang associated with a lot of legendary tales, covers a wide area and boasts of natural beauties including those of peaks, blue sea, seashore, lakes and cliffs.
Lagoon Samil
Lagoon Samil which is a typical scenery of Sea Kumgang has very beautiful sights going well with calm lake. It was originally a small bay whose entrance was blocked later by a delta in the Nam River’s estuary expanding to the sea.
Later it came to be filled with fresh water by filling in the route of sea water and drawing the Onjong Stream into the lagoon. It was named Samil (three days) after a story that in olden times a king went there to have a rest for a day but stayed for three days, fascinated by the wonderful scenery. The lake is encircled by 36 peaks like Kukji Peak and hills. The islets in the clear and pacific lake water go well with pine and bamboo woods, looking like a beautiful picture. When you see the lagoon from a peak, it looks like a lake by the sea, but when you are on the lagoon you feel as if it was a lake in deep mountains. There are picturesque sites including Janggundae, Chungsong Pavilion and Kobuk (turtle) Rock in the Lagoon Samil area.
Beautiful Scenery of the Kumgang Sea
The biggest islet in the lagoon is Wau Islet. It is covered with pine woods, but bamboos are growing in its eastern shore. Originally it was called Song (pine) Islet for some old pine trees. It came to be called Wau Islet because its shape is like a recumbent cow.
To the west of Wau Islet there are several small rocky islets— which are called Tansoam, Sasonjong and Musondae—with legendary tales. Tansoam consists of several long rocks. Its name originated from a tale that the letters engraved by spirits while on their holiday on a rock in olden times looked red. Sasonjong is a small flat and long islet with a pavilion on it, which is said to have been built in memory of four spirits who had a rest in Lagoon Samil. Musondae, smaller than Sasonjong, looks like a recumbent silkworm. The name came from the tale that in olden times spirits enjoyed a pleasant time dancing. In the northwestern shore of the lagoon is a white beach before a lawn and a thick pine wood.
There two rocks of a similar size stand against each other with a wide and flat rock between the top of the two rocks—this is the Kumgang Gate. The gate is so well-shaped and grand that it overpowers several other Kumgang Gates in the mountain. The lagoon has many kinds of fishes including carp, silver carp, whitebait and variegated carp. It is a people’s recreational resort with the Tanphung House, pavilions, a suspension bridge and a boating ground.
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- Manmulsang
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- Manmulsang
Sea Kumgang also has Sea Manmulsang, Lagoon Yongnang, Hyonjong Rock and other scenic spots. Fantastic rocks of all shapes which are to be seen in the southern shore of Suwondan are called Sea Manmulsang as they are as beautiful as Manmulsang in Outer Kumgang. The rocks include Sea Kumgang Gate, and those called Jwi (mouse), Nuruk (malt), Koyangi (cat), Tongja (boy), Chaek (book) and Sangjwa (seat of honour). In particular, noteworthy is the Ripsok (standing rock) which has some old pine trees in its middle part and on its top. Around it are seen rocky Sol Islet with a pine wood, Sagong Rock and Chilsong Rock.
Lagoon Yongnang has a story that a spirit whose name was Yongnang had a rest in the lake; it is surrounded by beautiful hills. Around the half-moon-shaped lagoon are a sand beach with pine trees and full-blown sweet briers, and fantastic rocks such as Tanam and Tanhyol. On a hill by the lagoon is a 5-6 metre-tall and 4-5 metre-round rock shaped like a bell. This is the Hyonjong Rock. Sagong and Pae rocks are also to be seen nearby.
Mun Il Jin
