In the first century, numerous small kingdoms co-existed on the Korean Peninsula. The Gimhae region in the south of the peninsula remained unoccupied until King Suro founded Geumgwan Gaya. The region developed into a powerful kingdom and flourished until the 4th century.

According to legend, six golden eggs wrapped in a piece of red cloth descended from heaven to Gujibong Peak during the first century. Children hatched from each of these eggs. The ‘firstborn’ among them was King Suro, who subsequently founded Geumgwan Gaya and became the first person with the family name of ‘Kim’ in Gimhae.

Foundation myths of this kind, with founders hatching from eggs, are common across Southeast Asia. These stories serve to emphasize the divine nature of the nation’s founders. The legend of King Suro’s birth is one of the most famous in Korea and was even adapted into a TV series in 2010.

The Tomb of King Suro stands as tall as 5 meters and is surrounded by the 18,000 square-meter Royal Tomb Park. The exact period of its creation remains unidentifiable. By the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty, it appears to have been considerably damaged. During the reign of King Seonjo of Joseon, a descendant of King Suro conducted repair work, resulting in the appearance it holds today.