The peaks
Sharp granite.
Oldmanisold — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Uwe Brodrecht — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Uwe Brodrecht — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Uwe Brodrecht — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Uwe Brodrecht — CC BY-SA 2.0
Mount Kumgang, the Diamond Mountain, is a mountain massif on the east coast of North Korea, in Kangwon province, with a highest peak of 1,638 metres. It is part of the Taebaek range that runs along the east of the Korean peninsula, and UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site in 2025. The mountain has been famed for its beauty since ancient times and is the subject of many Korean paintings and poems. It has a different name for each season: Kumgangsan in spring, Pongraesan in summer, Phungaksan, the mountain of coloured leaves, in autumn, and Kaegolsan, the mountain of bones, in winter when its rocks stand bare. You see sharp pale grey granite peaks rising above thick forest, and rocky valleys with clear streams. The water gathers in emerald pools between smooth white rocks, the trees turn red and orange in autumn, and paths climb among the boulders. It is about 19 km from the town of Kosong in a straight line. Foreign visitors can only come on organised tours, and the country has been closed to most tourists in recent years. The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to North Korea, so read the current advice before you plan.
Sharp granite.
Emerald green.
Coloured leaves.
East coast, Kangwon province, North Korea
Diamond Mountain, and it has a different name for each season.
Yes, the UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to North Korea.