Donghae-seok is also called Cheongok (sapphire) with a blue jade color and some say that the name of Cheongok Mountain originated from this. In the past it was collected as a form of water stone but nowadays the collecting of stones from this district is not allowed to protect the environment.

Characteristics of Donghae-seok

In the middle of Joseon Dynasty, Hojang or a leader of a village with a gentle and venerable personality lived in the coast of Mukho Harbor. He was very much respected since he shared his food with his neighbors and treated the beggars well during the period of spring poverty.

At that time, the Japanese pirates often invaded and harassed the town. One day they again invaded the town with two ships harassing the women and killing the people. Hojang challenged and fought against the Japanese pirates but it was not enough to defeat them. Hojang rallied all people in the town to fight them with shovel, pick, hoe, and iron bar.

As the Japanese pirates loaded the plundered goods and seized Hojang by force, village people who stood against them were cruelly killed. Hojang became very angry at the deaths of village people, and cried out with rage to the general of the pirates, "Although my body will die, I will make you never invade here again!"

Suddenly, a clear sky became clouded over with thunder, lightening, and huge waves that overturned the ship killing everybody on the ship. The other ship tried to escape, but a giant octopus showed up and hit the ship. The ship was destroyed into pieces and all Japanese pirates died. Right after that, as the sky became clear and waves become clam, a flock of crows gathered and ate the dead bodies of pirates. Since then, the Japanese pirates never invaded again. The octopus that showed up was called the transferred spirit of Hojang, which still lives, in two caves under the Kkamakbawi (Rock of Crow). It is rumored that if a wicked person passes under the Kkamakbawi, he will be killed by the octopus. The residents of this town still hold a ritual for a good haul with the giant octopus and the spirit of Hojang serving as a guardian angel.