On Thursday, April 17, the Northeast Asian History Foundation held a symposium in its main conference hall to highlight the significance and value of Mount Paektu’s designation as a UNESCO Global Geopark. In 2019, North Korea applied for UNESCO Global Geopark status under the name “Mount Paektu.” The 221st session of the UNESCO Executive Board, held in Paris from April 2 to 17, 2025, approved the designation of Mount Paektu as a UNESCO Global Geopark. With this decision, both the Chinese and North Korean sides of Mount Paektu—China’s portion having been designated in April 2024—are now recognized as a UNESCO Global Geopark.

The symposium shed light on the meaning and value of Mount Paektu as a UNESCO Global Geopark and initiated full-fledged discussions on registering Mount Paektu as one of the “100 Geological Heritage Sites” designated by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS). The IUGS, the world’s largest geological academic organization with participation from 128 countries, announced a total of 200 outstanding geological heritage sites globally in 2022 and 2024.

Professor Dae-Kyo Chung, Professor Emeritus at Kangwon National University and former President of the Geological Society of Korea, emphasized that in order to register Mount Paektu as a Geological Heritage Site, it is essential to systematically collect and analyze comprehensive academic data—including that from both North Korean and Chinese regions—to demonstrate its geological value on an international level.

Professor Min Heo of Chonnam National University, Chair of the Korean Committee for the Global Geoparks Network, analyzed the brand potential of Mount Paektu as a geological heritage site, drawing on his experience of statistically evaluating the brand value, promotional benefits, and economic ripple effects of previously designated sites.

Professor James Hammond, Director of the Mount Paektu Research Centre at Birkbeck, University of London, has been jointly investigating Mount Paektu’s seismic activity with North Korean scientists since 2011, following an increase in seismic events around the area since 2002. At the symposium, he shared insights from 14 years of research and emphasized the importance of international academic exchange and regional cooperation, centered around the Mount Paektu Research Centre (MPRC) established in 2020.

It is hoped that this symposium will raise global awareness of Mount Paektu’s geological significance and help establish “Mount Paektu” as a widely recognized name in the international community.