The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which serve as advisory bodies to the World Heritage Committee, have jointly recommended the North's scenic mountain for inclusion on the list, according to UNESCO's tentative lists released on Tuesday.
The recommendation comes after North Korea's application for inscription in 2021, which was delayed mainly due to the coronavirus pandemic. None of their recommendations have been rejected so far.
The international body described it as "a strikingly beautiful mountain with numerous peaks and curious rock formations, featuring some 12,000 waterfalls and pools formed by crystal-clear waters flowing through hundreds of gorges, along with a seascape stretching along the coastline."
It added, "Mt. Kumgang is permeated with numerous legends and cultural relics handed over down through generations," praising its natural settings with "buildings with long history and unique architectural forms."
The listing will be determined at the upcoming session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Paris, France in July. If listed, it will become North Korea's third World Heritage site, after the Complex of Koguryo Tombs inscribed in 2004 and the Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong in 2013.
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