Mount Kumgang in North Korea Likely to Be Inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site

ICOMOS Recommends Inscription... Decision to Be Finalized in July
Proposal for a 'Cultural Landscape' Formed by Nature and Humans

Mount Kumgang, which boasts beautiful scenery throughout the seasons, is expected to become a UNESCO World Heritage site in North Korea.

Yonhap News

According to UNESCO on May 27, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which serve as advisory bodies to the World Heritage Committee, have recommended the inscription of Mount Kumgang, which North Korea applied to list as a World Heritage site. This achievement comes about four years after the application was submitted. The official name is "Mt. Kumgang - Diamond Mountain from the Sea."

It is reported that North Korea applied for Mount Kumgang to be recognized as a mixed heritage site, with both cultural and natural value. ICOMOS and IUCN, which are responsible for evaluation and review, select one of four recommendations?'inscription,' 'deferral,' 'referral,' or 'non-inscription'?and deliver it to the World Heritage Centre and the concerned country. For Mount Kumgang, they recommended World Heritage inscription, but suggested that, except for the Haemanmulsang area in Haekumgang and the Chongsokjong area, the rest should be inscribed as a cultural landscape. A cultural landscape refers to a cultural heritage formed by the harmonious interaction of nature and humans. This can be seen as an expansion of the heritage concept beyond the traditional dichotomy between culture and nature.

Yonhap News

Mount Kumgang, along with Mount Paektu, is considered one of the most famous mountains on the Korean Peninsula. Centered around Birobong Peak, which rises to 1,638 meters, it features numerous peaks, unique rock formations, waterfalls, and ponds. Its appearance changes with each season, revealing its beauty, and it has been called by various names such as Geumgang, Bongrae, Pungak, and Gaegolsan.

In most cases, heritage sites recommended for inscription are officially listed by the World Heritage Committee. The 47th session of the World Heritage Committee will be held in Paris, France, from July 6 to 16. If the inscription is successful, Mount Kumgang will become North Korea's third World Heritage site. The previously inscribed sites are the "Complex of Koguryo Tombs" (2004) and the "Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong" (2013).