Goraebul Coast (Gyeongbuk East Coast National Geopark)

Goraebul Coast is about 4.6 km long and 30 to 100 m wide, forming a concave, elongated crescent-shaped beach that is the largest on the east coast of Gyeongsangbuk-do. The name 'Goraebul' originates from the late Goryeo scholar Yi Saek, who, upon seeing whales playing and spouting white fountains in the East Sea, called it 'the fire where whales play.'<br /><br />The salt marshes and coastal sand dunes distributed along Goraebul Coast hold high geomorphological and biological value. Salt marshes are wetlands where seawater and river water mix, resulting in large salinity variations; here, many plants rarely seen in the sea or on land grow, and they serve as spawning grounds for various organisms such as birds and fish. On Goraebul Coast, large-scale coastal sand dunes—landforms where sand accumulates in hill-like shapes on the landward side—are also well developed. These coastal sand dunes act as natural levees protecting the shoreline, and the groundwater stored in the dunes protects the land from seawater intrusion and helps the growth of dune plants.<br /><br />* Bul: A dialect term in the Yeongdeok area meaning sandy beach.