North Korea's Holy Berg Paektu recognized as a UNESCO geopark

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high on the Korean Peninsula, past military controls and bumpy gravel roads in one of the most mysterious countries in the world, rises a volcano with a deep crater lake that is crossed by meaningful symbolism.

The majestic mountain Paektu

The Mount Paektu, an active stratov owl on the border between North Korea and China, represents the highest peak of the Korean peninsula and is located in the heart of the founding myth of North Korea. According to the South Korean news agency Yonhap, the North Korean side of the mountain has recently been recognized as a UNESCO Global Geopark, which is the first to be taken in North Korea in the list.

UNESCO recognition and cultural heritage

The UNESCO executive committee praised the site for its “impressive nature and cultural heritage”, which includes volcanic eruptions and geological features. This happened in a Meet in February. In order to really understand the meaning, you have to stand on the edge of the Chon lake-a Caldera that is about 2,200 meters above sea level, shaped by a massive eruption more than a thousand years ago-and feel the wind in the face.

The mythical meaning of the mountain

The mountain is considered the birthplace of Dangun, the mythical founder of the first Korean kingdom, according to North Korean legend. Kim Il Sung, North Korea's founder and grandfather of Kim Jong Un, supposedly used the mountain as a retreat during the fight against the Japanese occupation in the 1940s. State media often refer to the oldest Kim in connection with the mountain and use titles such as "The legendary hero of Paektu."

North Korea claims that Kim Jong Il, the deceased leader and father of Kim Jong Un, was born near the summit of Paektu. Travel guides showed me a wooden hut, where the snow allegedly melted, the sun broke through, flowered flowers and a new star in the sky appeared to mark its birth. Historical evidence is missing, and many scientists believe that Kim was probably born in Russia, but history in North Korea is told without a breath. Paektu is not just a mountain - it is a national altar.

role of the Kim dynasty

The Kim dynasty used the mountain to stage its own tradition and debris. His peaks adorn the national emblem of the country, and his name was used for everything, from rockets to power plants and occasionally even for the country itself. The North Korean society places great emphasis on ethnic purity, while the state propaganda glorifies the Kim family as part of its “Mount Paektu Blutsline”, which is supposed to belong to a noble and heroic family, which with the old, legendary kings Korean Peninsula is connected.

Visits on the Holy Berg

"This is the soul of the revolution Koreas," said a guide to me, while North Korean pilgrims were still nearby, some with tears in their eyes because they thought they were on sacred soil. Kim Jong Un often visited the Holy Berg, usually before important upheavals - such as the execution of his uncle 2013 and the nuclear test of 2016.

In 2018 he brought the South Korean President Moon Jae-in to the summit, which was a rare moment of unity. Moon, who stood at the top and kim on the hand, called the visit to realize a dream. "I wondered if I would ever have the chance (to come here), but my wish came true," said Moon. For Koreans on both sides of the border, the ascent to the summit was a Rite de Passage for a long time, but the access was denied to most South Koreans.

geological meaning and geotourism

The UNESCO in its recognition raised the volcanic legacy paectus, which emphasized the valleys shaped by glacier erosion and the rocky levels as part of its global meaning. In addition, the “millennium -old eruption” was mentioned, which took place in 946 AD at Mount Paektu - one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in the recorded history.

There are currently more than 200 geoparks in 49 countries, according to the organization. The UNESCO Global Geoparks are recognized as “uniform geographical areas in which sites and landscapes of international geological importance are managed with a holistic concept for protection, education and sustainable development.” Last year, the UNESCO committee named the Chinese side of the mountain under the Chinese name Changbaishan as Global Geopark.

North Korea had sought UNESCO geopark recognition in 2019, a year before China, but an inspection of the site in North Korea was delayed due to the Covid 19 pandemic. With this award, Pyongyang could now try to position Paektu as a geotourism goal-and to promote both the natural miracles and the Korean mythology.

The trip to Paektu led us through remote rural communities in 2017, in which children ran away from our cameras - some have probably never seen a foreigner. In Samjiyon, the closest city, monuments from Kim Il sung adorn the landscape, and the buildings show scars of struggles with the Japanese occupiers. Life near Paektu is rural and sparse. But the people we met spoke with silent pride of their history, their home and the faith of living in a place that has meaning.

a symbol of national and global importance

With this UNESCO recognition, Mount Paektu is now not only recognized a national symbol, but also as a place of global geological value. It is uncertain whether this leads to more commitment or another means for Pyongyang's narrative. For the time being, the mountain continues, wrapped its slopes in clouds and passed on its stories by generations. And if you ever stand at the summit, look into the Chon Lake and inhale the cold air, you may understand why so many, North and South Koreans, believe that he carries the soul of Korea.

Report by CNNS YOONJUNG SEO and Joshua Berlinger.