North Korea’s Mount Kumgang is expected to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
According to UNESCO on Tuesday, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which are advisory bodies to the World Heritage Committee, have issued a recommendation for the listing of Mount Kumgang, following North Korea’s application.
North Korea had previously applied for Mount Kumgang’s World Heritage listing in 2021. However, the evaluation was conducted this year as its review was delayed due to the spread of COVID-19. North Korea applied for Mount Kumgang as a mixed heritage site, possessing characteristics of both cultural and natural heritage.
Sites that receive a recommendation for listing are usually inscribed as World Heritage sites without significant hitches. The final listing is expected to be confirmed in July.
If Mount Kumgang is listed, North Korea will possess three World Heritage sites. Previously, the Goguryeo Tombs Complex and the Historic Monuments and Sites of Kaesong were listed as World Heritage sites in 2004 and 2013, respectively.
