Mt Kumgang, World Cultural and Natural Heritage

Celebrated Mountain with Unique Natural Scenery

Mt Kumgang has been known as one of the celebrated mountains of the DPRK from olden times for its significant geological feature, beautiful natural landscape, peculiar natural beauty and excellent cultural heritages, and its name has also been compared to a diamond which is the most rare and precious among all jewels.

In particular, there is a unique granite peak and spectacular sights of valleys, rocks, waterfalls, rock holes, pools, lakes and seashore in Mt Kumgang and those are combined with various biological and atmospheric elements.

For this, Mt Kumgang is a comprehensive scenery region rare to be seen for diversity, abundance and aesthetic beauty of scenery.

Mt Kumgang consists of Piro Peak whose height is １ ６３９ meters, several branch ranges around it and closely lifted peaks.

Each peak is strong in its originality and diverse in its shape.

There can be enjoyed a bird’s eye view of peaks, valleys, lake and sea of Mt Kumgang from the top of Piro Peak to the eastward.

There are also lots of narrow and deep valleys. Those valleys make unique scenery in close harmony with clear water flowing through them, waterfalls, pools, fantastic rocks, forests and so on.

The typical ones are Sangphaldam Valley, Kuryongyon Valley and Okryu Valley of Outer Kumgang and Manphok Valley of Inner Kumgang.

There are also different sizes and shapes of rock pillars and stone pagodas such as Samson Rock, Myonggyong Rock, Kwimyon Rock, Tokson Rock and Sumithap(pagoda) Rock and Ryongma Rock of Inner Kumgang.

There are various shapes of stone gates such as Kumgang Gate, Wonhwa Gate, Pisa Gate, Sujong(crystal) Gate, Hanul Gate, Gate to East Sea, natural rocks and natural stone caves such as Kumgang Cave, Podok Cave, Palyon Cave, Sonin Cave, Songnim Cave, Songmun Cave and lots of figurative stones similar to the shapes of various objects.

In particular, a large number of rock holes formed at the top of Sujong(crystal) Peak and Pari Peak are filled with clear water and frogs, salamanders inhabit there while some rock holes are full of earth and different plants grow there.

Honeycomb rock holes are widely distributed on sea cliffs and pillars of Sea Kumgang. These are formed by abrasion and enhance the natural scenery of Sea Kumgang.

The most peculiar one is Sonjo Rock in the area of Lake Yongnang of Sea Kumgang.

Although almost all the world heritages have spectacular sights related to water such as river, lake, waterfall and pool, Mt Kumgang can be considered the best by their numbers, kinds and beauty.

Especially, Mt Kumgang is strikingly different from famous mountainous heritages of other countries as it has spectacular coastal scenery.

Indeed, Mt Kumgang has unique international value as it has significant geological and topographical features and it deserves to be one of the best noted mountains.

Rodong Sinmun