Twelve sites in North Korea earn World Heritage status

KAESONG, North Korea – The remains of a fortress that once surrounded Kaesong, the ancient capital of Korea’s Koryo Dynasty, are among sites in North Korea that made it onto UNESCO’s World Heritage list on Sunday.

North Korea’s bid to have the sites added to the list was approved at a UNESCO meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Kaesong, located just north of the border with South Korea, was the capital of the kingdom that ruled Korea from 918 to 1392.

Twelve sites added include the ruins of the Manwoldae palace; a 1,000-year-old academy that was the top school during that era; relics housed at a museum at the school; and the mausoleum of King Kongmin.