UNESCO World Heritage Sites in North Korea
North Korea has 2 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List (1 cultural and 1 mixed), the first inscribed in 2004 (Goguryeo tombs). The map below plots every one of them alongside the rest of the List, and each site is written up in full further down the page.
- World Heritage Sites
- 2
- Cultural
- 1
- Natural and Mixed
- 1
- First Inscribed
- 2004
Map of World Heritage Sites in North Korea
CulturalNaturalMixedIn DangerLarge dots are in North Korea. Click a dot to read about the site.
Goguryeo tombs
North Korea · 38.8631° N, 125.4150° E · 2 km² · 11 km from Nampo
Goguryeo tombs, officially designated as the Complex of Koguryo Tombs (Korean: 고구려 고분군), are tombs in North Korea. In July 2004, they became the first UNESCO World Heritage site in the country. The site consists of 30 individual tombs from the later Goguryeo kingdom, one of Three Kingdoms of Korea, located in the cities of P'yŏngyang and Namp'o. Goguryeo was one of the strongest ancient Korean kingdoms located in the northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula and the southern and central parts of Manchuria. The kingdom was founded in the present day area of North Korea, and part of Manchuria around 37 BCE, and the capital was transferred to P'yŏngyang in 427 CE.
Many of the tombs, such as the Anak Tomb No. 3, have wall paintings. The tombs are almost all of the Goguryeo culture that survives. There are over 10,000 Goguryeo tombs overall, but only about 90 of those unearthed in China and Korea have wall paintings. The Complex of Goguryeo Tombs inscribed on the World Heritage List contains the majority of these tombs with wall paintings. It is thought that the complex was used as a burial site for kings, queens and other members of the royal family.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Goguryeo tombs (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Why Goguryeo tombs Is Listed
- (i)
- A masterpiece of human creative genius.
- (ii)
- An important interchange of human values.
- (iii)
- A unique testimony to a cultural tradition or civilisation.
- (iv)
- An outstanding example of a type of building or landscape.
More about Goguryeo tombs
UNESCO's Description
The property includes several group and individual tombs - totalling about 30 individual tombs - from the later period of the Koguryo Kingdom, one of the strongest kingdoms in nowadays northeast China and half of the Korean peninsula between the 3rd century BC to 7th century AD. The tombs, many with beautiful wall paintings, are almost the only remains of this culture. Only about 90 out of more than 10,000 Koguryo tombs discovered in China and Korea so far, have wall paintings. Almost half of these tombs are located on this site and they are thought to have been made for the burial of kings, members of the royal family and the aristocracy. These paintings offer a unique testimony to daily life of this period.
From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).
Mount Kumgang
North Korea · 38.6568° N, 128.1049° E · 198 km² · 65 km from Sokcho
Mount Kumgang (Korean: 금강산; lit. 'Diamond Mountain') or the Kumgang Mountains is a mountain massif, with a 1,638-metre-high (5,374 ft) peak, in Kangwŏn Province, North Korea. It is located on the east coast of the country, in an area of Kangwŏn Province formerly known as the Mount Kumgang Tourist Region, and is part of the Taebaek mountain range which runs along the east of the Korean Peninsula. The mountain is about 50 kilometres (31 mi) from the South Korean city of Sokcho in Gangwon Province. In 2025, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Mount Kumgang (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Why Mount Kumgang Is Listed
- (iii)
- A unique testimony to a cultural tradition or civilisation.
- (vii)
- Superlative natural phenomena or exceptional natural beauty.
More about Mount Kumgang
UNESCO's Description
Mount Kumgang is a long-celebrated place of exceptional natural beauty, renowned for its near-white granite peaks, deep valleys, waterfalls, and pristine ecosystems, rising to nearly 1,600 metres. The mountain’s dramatic impact is enhanced through constantly changing weather patterns of mists, rain, sunshine and clouds. This sacred mountain is a key site of mountain Buddhism, with traditions dating back to the 5th century. This cultural landscape is home to ancient hermitages, temples, stupas, and stone carvings, many located in the Outer and Inner Kumgang Area. Three temples remain active today and bear exceptional testimony to centuries of Buddhist practice, with tangible and intangible heritage deeply intertwined with the landscape.
From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).
Geography
Kŭmgang Mountain ranges from Tongchon County, Kangwon Province in North Korea, to Inje County, Gangwon Province, South Korea. The area is up to 40 km long east–west, 60 km north–south, with a total size of 530 km² to the back of Baekdudaegan. It is divided between the "Inner Kumgang" in the west and the "Outer Kumgang" in the east. The area on the east side of the Yeongeum River is called "Hae Kumgang" ("Sea Kumgang"). The main peak of Mt. Kŭmgang is Pirobong, and there are more than 60 peaks over 1,000 meters. Combined with countless sub-peaks, they were historically called "12,000 peaks". Many scenic spots in the area are designated as natural monuments of North Korea. The southern part of the "Outer Kumgang" is also called "New Kumgang".
Climate
It belongs to the alpine region and has relatively high rainfall, with heavy rainfall in July and August. The East-West difference is severe, and the rainfall increases from Haegeumgang to Oegeumgang, but due to the phenomenon of Foehn, the rainfall decreases from Naegeumgang to Naegeumgang. It is also warm and humid in preparation for the overall climate in Korea. However, depending on the altitude, cold temperatures of minus 10 to 30 degrees Celsius will continue in the winter, and depending on the region, snow will fall as early as October. These climatic conditions lie at the intersection of the northern and southern plants.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Mount Kumgang (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Visiting Mount Kumgang
Kumgangsan (금강산 or formally romanized as Geumgangsan), literally the Diamond Mountains, is in North Korea. The mountain and surroundings were listed as a mixed UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2025.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Kumgangsan (CC BY-SA 4.0).
World Heritage in North Korea: Quick Answers
- How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites are in North Korea?
- North Korea has 2 World Heritage Sites: 1 cultural and 1 mixed.
- What was the first World Heritage Site in North Korea?
- Goguryeo tombs, inscribed in 2004. The most recent is Mount Kumgang, inscribed in 2025.
- What are the natural World Heritage Sites in North Korea?
- Mount Kumgang (mixed).
- Are any World Heritage Sites in North Korea in danger?
- None of the World Heritage Sites in North Korea is on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger.