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Mount Kumgang Inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site

The endorsement arrives after a pandemic-delayed review, highlighting the mountain’s blend of dramatic coastal scenery with centuries-old Buddhist worship traditions.

This file photo, released by the North Korean state television station Korean Central TV on Oct. 24, 2023, shows the autumn foliage at Mount Kumgang. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
North Korean officials hoist their national flag in celebration after the country's Mount Kumgang was inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage list during the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Paris on July 13, 2025. (Yonhap)
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Overview

  • The UNESCO World Heritage Committee approved Mount Kumgang’s inscription at its 47th session in Paris on July 13, officially designating it “Mt. Kumgang – Diamond Mountain from the Sea.”
  • UNESCO classified the site as a mixed natural and cultural heritage landscape, citing its seasonal vistas, towering peaks, waterfalls, pools and coastal panorama.
  • Advisory bodies ICOMOS and IUCN had recommended the mountain’s inclusion in May after a review that was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Mount Kumgang becomes North Korea’s third World Cultural Heritage listing, joining the Complex of Koguryo Tombs (2004) and the Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong (2013).
  • In its executive summary, UNESCO noted the site’s role in Korean Buddhist mountain worship and pilgrimage traditions spanning many centuries.