A Mountain of Myths and Meaning: North Korea’s Mount Kumgang Joins UNESCO World Heritage List

PARIS, July 13 (Korea Bizwire) — For generations, Mount Kumgang — or “Diamond Mountain” — has captivated the Korean imagination. Its jagged peaks, mist-covered valleys, and shimmering pools have inspired artists, poets, monks, and pilgrims alike. Now, this iconic landscape has earned a new distinction: a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

At its 47th session in Paris on Sunday, the World Heritage Committee officially inscribed “Mt. Kumgang – Diamond Mountain from the Sea” as a World Heritage site, recognizing not only its breathtaking natural beauty but also its deep cultural and spiritual legacy.

For North Korea, this was a rare moment of international celebration. As the announcement was read aloud, delegates from Pyongyang stood and proudly raised their national flag, smiling as applause filled the room. The mountain, a symbol of Korean identity on both sides of the border, had taken center stage on the global stage.

UNESCO hailed Mount Kumgang as a “mixed natural and cultural heritage” site, a category reserved for places where the majesty of nature is entwined with centuries of human history.

“The property contains Korea’s most significant Buddhist mountain culture and tradition of mountain worship and pilgrimage over many centuries,” UNESCO’s summary read. “It boasts outstanding scenery of lofty peaks, valleys, waterfalls, pools, lagoons and dramatic seascapes.”

Advisory bodies including the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had earlier recommended its inclusion, citing the mountain’s “exceptional natural beauty” and its status as a living cultural landscape.

Nestled along North Korea’s southeastern coast, Mount Kumgang’s beauty changes with the seasons — cherry blossoms in spring, emerald canopies in summer, crimson foliage in autumn, and snow-laced serenity in winter. It is said to have some 12,000 rock formations, countless waterfalls, and pools of crystal-clear water that run through hundreds of gorges.

UNESCO’s listing also recognized the mountain’s rich mythologies and sacred significance. “Mt. Kumgang is permeated with numerous legends and cultural relics handed down through generations,” its description noted.

In Seoul, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism welcomed the decision. For the order, Mount Kumgang is more than just a landscape — it is a spiritual home. The order highlighted Shingye Temple, a historic Buddhist site on the mountain that was rebuilt in 2007 after being destroyed during the Korean War.

The temple once hosted joint Buddhist ceremonies between monks from both Koreas — a rare moment of religious and cultural unity on the divided peninsula.

“Mount Kumgang is a symbol of Korean Buddhism,” the Jogye Order said in a statement. “We hope that, following this inscription, relations between North and South will improve, so that monks from both sides can once again gather at Shingye Temple to pray together.”

North Korea first submitted its bid for World Heritage inscription in 2021, but the process was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. With Sunday’s announcement, Mount Kumgang becomes North Korea’s third World Heritage site, joining the Complex of Koguryo Tombs (inscribed in 2004) and the Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong (2013). In 2014, the folk song “Arirang” was also recognized by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In a moment marked by tension and division on the Korean Peninsula, Mount Kumgang now stands as a shared emblem of history, faith, and natural wonder — and perhaps, a hopeful path toward reconnection.

M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)