UNESCO has recently designated the North Korean side of the active stratovolcano Mount Paektu, located along the Chinese border, as a UNESCO Global Geopark. This recognition was granted due to the site’s “impressive natural and cultural heritage,” encompassing its volcanic history and distinctive geological characteristics.
UNESCO Global Geoparks are unified geographical zones of internationally significant geological sites. These parks are mandated through a strategy that balances protection, education, and sustainable development. By linking their geological heritage with their natural and cultural assets, they promote awareness of global challenges such as climate change mitigation and sustainable resource management.
This designation is valid for 4 years, after which UNESCO has to conduct a thorough review of the park’s functionality. Notably, Mount Paektu is North Korea’s first site to receive this recognition.
Han Ki-ho, a professor at the Ajou Institute for Unification, explained that UNESCO probably saw the area’s glacially carved valleys and volcanic formations as crucial, noting that “the presence of active geological processes — especially with Mount Paektu being an active volcano — increases its scientific value.”
Beyond geology, Mount Paektu carries deep symbolism in North Korea. Interestingly, the volcanic mountain is central to the ruling Kim dynasty’s political mythology. According to state narratives, Kim’s grandfather, Kim II Sung, based his anti-Japanese military campaign on the mountain. North Korea states that Kim Jong Un’s father, Kim Jong Il, was born at Mount Paektu, although historians think that his birthplace was Russia.
The mountain has long been a focus of environmental conservation in the country. In 1946, under North Korea’s early protection efforts, it was designated as a plant reserve for the first time. Additionally, over the years, it gained additional layers of protected status. This led to UNESCO recognizing Mount Paektu as a Biosphere Reserve in 1989. A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is a designated area encompassing **land-based**, marine, or coastal ecosystems that promotes a balanced relationship between people and nature through biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and knowledge sharing.
Whether foreigners will be able to visit the newly designated geopark remains unclear. However, Russian tourists may be among the first to have this opportunity, having in mind the relationship between Russia and North Korea.
This recognition follows a similar move in 2024, when UNESCO designated the Chinese side of the mountain as a global geopark, under its Chinese name Changbaishan. The geopark is a place to study volcanic activity. It features striking landforms and a wide variety of rock formations that reveal the history of many important eruptions. Among these is an eruption that occurred approximately 1,000 years ago, which stands out as one of the most powerful volcanic events in recent history.
