Mt. Kumgang, a famous mountain of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

   The 47^th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee was held in Paris from July 6 to 16. It recognized the Outstanding Universal Value of Mt. Kumgang where cultural tradition, beautiful scenery and pristine ecosystem are in exceptional harmony, and decided on July 13 to inscribe Mt. Kumgang – Diamond Mountain from the Sea of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on the World Heritage List as a cultural landscape.

   The mountain is one of most the celebrated mountains of the country from olden times, comprising natural landscapes and cultural sites of the Inner Kumgang, the Outer Kumgang and the Sea Kumgang, with exceptionally beautiful and spectacular natural features including of 12,000 peaks and fantastic rocks of near-white granite, stunning waterfalls, streams, ponds, lakes, pristine air, crystal-clear water, varied seasonal colour palettes and diverse biota, all in striking harmony with cultural attributes such as old temples, archaeological sites, stone sculptures and such intangible cultural heritage as the legendary tales associated with the mountain.

   Now, the celebrated mountain with its long history and outstanding cultural landscape has become a common treasure of humanity as a whole enjoying the due interest of the world.