Mt. Paekdu (Also referred to as Mt. Baekdu in the more recent South Korean Hangul romanization) reknowned to all Koreans, for it’s historical significance, in both ancient and modern history. As a friend pointed out to me Mt. Paekdu is in the first line of the first verse of the South Korean national anthem. As well as more infamously being the recognised birthplace of Kim Jong Il.
And as our annual DPRK Mt. Paekdu tour draws closer, I have been thinking about the wonders North Korea must hold for rock climbers. North Korean tourism tends to focus on Pyongyang and Kaesong (for the DMZ), which doesn’t give credit to the huge density of mountainous areas in the country.
Even towards the flatter lands around Seoul, there are popular rock climbing spots that are regulared by many people. I believe this warrants further investigation, and am therefore inquiring about the possibilities in the future of a specialist rock climbing tour. There must be beautiful climbs just waiting to be discovered!
Needless to say there will be a chance to see the beautiful mountains of Paekdu San coming up soon enough. If you have spent any time in the DPRK or researched it enough you should already be familiar with the symbolic image of this mountain that so few see with their own eyes.
-Richie
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