S. Korea closely eyeing China's push to add Mt. Paekdu as UNESCO global geopark

South Korea is keeping close eyes on China's push to list Mount Paekdu as one of UNESCO's new global geoparks in the name of "Mount Changbai," the foreign ministry said Thursday.

The issue of evaluating and approving the "Mount Paekdu area" nominated as one of the new global geoparks will be discussed at the 219th session of the UNESCO Executive Board to be held later this month, foreign ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk told a press briefing.

In 2020, China applied for Changbai Mountain, considered to be Chinese territory in the Mount Paekdu region, to be listed as a UNESCO Global Geopark.

Mount Paekdu, the highest peak on the Korean Peninsula, lies on the border between North Korea and China, with around 55 percent of the crater lake in North Korean territory. (Yonhap)