Hwajinpo

Hwajinpo (花津浦) is a lake in Goseong County, Gangwon State, South Korea. It is a scenic spot where a lake and the sea coexist, preserving pristine beauty.

Overview

In the past, it was called Yeolsanho (烈山湖) and Pojinho (泡津湖). Various plants live around the lake, and it is also well known as a fishing spot. It is designated as Gangwon Province Regional Monument No. 10. The sandy beach between this lake and the sea is Hwajinpo Beach. Between the lake and the beach there is a dense pine grove, and a reed field has also formed.

Hwajinpo was formed when what was once the East Sea was gradually separated from the sea over a long period of time, and it is a natural brackish lake where fresh water and seawater mix. Its total area is about 720,000 pyeong, and the circumference of the lake is 16 km.

Off the coast of Hwajinpo is a small island called Geumgudo, which carries the legend that the tomb of Gwanggaeto the Great is located there, and Haedanghwa blooms around the lake. At the end of the Joseon period, the "Hwajin Eight Views" selected by Kim Sakkat included the waves of Geumgudo and the Haedanghwa on the sandy beach. In winter, whooper swans, a Natural Monument, also fly in.

Legend

According to legend, a person named Lee Hwa-jin once lived here. This person had a nasty temper and gave only trouble to monks who came from Mount Kumgang's Geonbongsa to solicit alms. When a monk returned empty-handed, a kind-hearted daughter-in-law secretly tried to give alms but could not catch up and returned. Afterward, the entire village was submerged underwater and became a lake. It is said that the kind daughter-in-law, the only survivor, could not bear her grief and took her own life. It is said that the lake was named Hwajinpo after her father-in-law's name.

Tourist Attractions

This area lies north of the 38th parallel, so from the military government period until before the , it was under Soviet military administration and within the territory of . During the , a resort building resembling a European castle called '' was built on a cliff with a good view, and cadres of the of North Korea used it as a summer vacation building. frequently visited Hwajinpo with his family. Afterward, this building came to be called 'Kim Il Sung's Villa'. Since 1999, it has been reorganized into the Historical Security Exhibition Hall, which displays materials on the Korean War and Kim Il Sung. In North Korea, this place, which was visited by Kim Il Sung, , and , the "Three Generals of Mount Paektu," is frequently mentioned.