Deokjeok Island in Incheon’s Ongjin County is presented as a late-summer getaway known for hidden beaches, tidal paths and clear seas. Batjireum Beach has recently gained attention after Deokjeokdo Natural Recreation Forest opened there in March last year. The island also offers Seopori Beach, Neungdong Pebble Beach, Mokseom Island and a 1.3-kilometer tidal flat trail on nearby Soya Island.
A tiny hermit crab searches for food at Batjireum Beach on Deokjeok Island. Korea Times photo by Lee Han-ho
The 600-meter-long beach is an endless banquet hall for a tiny hermit crab measuring barely 1 centimeter from head to toe. Carrying a white sea-snail shell on its back, it scurries forward, its tiny claws and mouth moving more busily than its legs.
The crab is not the only resident enjoying the beach. Seagulls peck relentlessly at the muddy sand, seemingly unconcerned about straining their necks, while blue crabs, wary of the gulls, remain absorbed in their own hunting. Just a few steps away, vacationers splash in the water, but the commotion does little to disturb them.
Batjireum Beach, bottom left, and Jinri Beach, top left, are seen on on Deokjeok Island in Incheon's Ongjin County, with Soya Island visible on the right / Korea Times photo by Lee Han-ho
