North Korea on Sunday said it is seeking to list the country's "sacred" Paektu Mountain with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The mountain is located in the country's northern Yanggang province along its border with China.
"The Mount Paektu area is drawing the attention of the international geological circles for its rich biodiversity and great geological significance," the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. "The North's National Commission for UNESCO is recently pushing ahead with the enlisting of the Mount Paektu area as a UNESCO Global Geopark."
It said that DPRK scientists have proof of its geological features and world value through scores of yearslong surveys and research, and thus specified its academic qualifications for the geopark.
DPRK is North Korea's official name and stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The regime in the communist country claims Paekdu Mountain is the birthplace of founding leader Kim Il-sung. It applied for the enlistment in 2019, the report said, adding that the application dossier is under UNESCO examination.
The Paektu Mountain area was listed as the "first World Biosphere Reserve" of the DPRK in 1989, according to the KCNA.
