North Korea’s Mount Kumgang, often known as the world’s most renowned mountain, is poised to become a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site.
On Tuesday, UNESCO announced that the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have recommended Mount Kumgang, which North Korea nominated for inscription on the World Heritage List.
The site’s official name is Mount Kumgang (Mt. Kumgang—Diamond Mountain from the Sea). North Korea reportedly submitted the nomination as a mixed heritage site, recognizing its cultural and natural significance.
If the World Heritage listing is confirmed, Mount Kumgang will become North Korea’s third World Heritage Site. Currently, North Korea boasts two World Heritage Sites – the Complex of Goguryeo Tombs (inscribed in 2004) and the Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong (inscribed in 2013) – as well as five items on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The final decision on Mount Kumgang’s World Heritage status will be made during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee, which will be held in Paris, France, from July 6 to 16 (CEST).