Mount Kumgang has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee officially designated Mount Kumgang as a World Heritage site during its 47th session held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, on the 13th (local time). The site is recognized for its high cultural value, intertwined with unique topography and scenery, as well as the history and traditions of Buddhism and pilgrimage.
Prior to this, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), advisory bodies to the World Heritage Committee, recommended the listing of Mount Kumgang last May.
The official name is Mount Kumgang (Mt. Kumgang - Diamond Mountain from the Sea). Mount Kumgang, along with Mount Baekdu, has long been regarded as one of the representative mountains of the Korean Peninsula. Stretching across the northern Taebaek Mountain Range, it covers areas in Hweryang County, Tongchon County, and Goseong County in Gangwon Province, characterized by its central peak, Birobong, at an elevation of 1,638 meters, and features numerous peaks, bizarre rocks, waterfalls, and ponds.
It is divided into Naekumgang, Oekumgang, and Haegumgang, depending on the location. Additionally, it is noted as a treasure trove of ecological and natural resources due to the variety of plant species inhabiting the area.
Mount Kumgang has been added to the list approximately four years after its application for registration. According to materials released by UNESCO, North Korea submitted the application for listing Mount Kumgang in 2021. However, the evaluation could not be conducted due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation at that time, and it was included among this year's candidates.
As a result of this listing, the number of World Heritage sites from North Korea has increased to three. According to UNESCO, North Korea has two World Heritage sites, namely the 'Goguryeo Tombs (2004)' and the 'Historic Areas of Kaesong (2013)', as well as five items recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.