North Korea’s Mount Paektu listed as UNESCO Global Geopark. What is its significance?

The North Korea’s Mount Paektu, an active stratovolcano on the North Korean-Chinese border, has been designated as a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Global Geopark.

UNESCO’s executive board approved the recognition on Thursday (Apr 10), marking the first time a natural reservoir in North Korea has been given a global geopark designation. According to UNESCO’s website, it is given to locations that contain sites of “international geological significance managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development.”

According to the executive board, Mount Paetku is characterised by magnificent landscapes formed by volcanic eruptions and well-developed glacial landforms.

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UNESCO officials also highlighted the “millennium eruption” witnessed by Mount Paektu in 946 CE, one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions recorded in history.

Last year in March, the Chinese part of the mountain, Mount Changbaishan, was listed as a global geopark by UNESCO. According to reports, North Korea had signed up for the designation a year before China in 2019. However, the review was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Significance of Mount Paektu

Mount Paektu, a volcanic mountain located at the border between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and China, last erupted over 1000 years ago. For centuries, the mountain has been considered sacred by the Koreans and is believed to be the spiritual origin of the Korean kingdom, where the founder was born.

The volcanic mountain has a height of about 9,000 feet and is the highest peak in the Korean peninsula. According to a Straits Times report, Kim Il Sung fought against the Japanese occupation forces on Mount Paektu. North Koreans are led to believe that Kim Jong Il, the father of the country’s supreme leader Kim Jong Un, was born here.

The Kim family legitimises their rule over the country, referring to the “Mount Baekdu Bloodline”. The mountain is also mentioned in the South Korean national anthem

Kim Jong Un's past visits to Mount Paektu

The country’s supreme leader visited the mountain in October 2019. Following his visit, state news agency KCNA released a series of photographs showing Kim Jong Un riding a white horse to the sacred mountain.

Kim has often visited the mountain before taking important decisions and is often considered to be a symbolic move. He earlier visited the mountain in September 2018 along with former South Korean president Moon Jae-in during his visit to the country. The two leaders discussed bringing peace to the Korean peninsula.

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Before this, Kim visited the mounted in 2017, days after he announced plans to launch DPRK’s largest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

(With inputs from agencies)