An old Korean history book series titled Samgukyusa includes a story about a great king, who left famous last words: “After my death, do not bury my body in the ground. Cremate it and put my ashes in the East Sea. I will become a dragon in the East Sea and continue to protect our nation in my afterlife.” The king was King Munmu with an eternal dedication to the kingdom. He was the thirtieth king (reign: 661 – 681) of the Korean millennial kingdom of Silla. He established Seonbu, the first maritime administration in Korea’s 5,000 years of history that managed naval and maritime affairs.
King Munmu actively engaged in international trade to expand Silla’s regional influence and achieved the unification of three kingdoms by conquering Baekje and Goguryeo. Also, he played a key role in expelling Tang China in 676 and thwarting China’s ambition to subjugate Korea. He fulfilled his promise to protect the kingdom even after his death. In 731, Japan invaded the eastern coast of Silla with 300 vessels. Silla defeated Japan with its well-prepared naval forces that had been trained under the management of Seonbu. The king considered control of the ocean, the backbone of national security and economy. King Munmu was a foresighted king who unified the thee kingdoms and defended the Korean peninsula from foreign powers through strategic diplomacy and strong naval forces.