Kŭmgangsan

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Kŭmgangsan on the east coast of Korea
Korean spelling
Korean alphabet : 금강산
Hanja : 金剛山
Revised Romanization : Geumgangsan
McCune-Reischauer : Kŭmgangsan

Kŭmgangsan ( German diamond mountain ) is a mountain or a mountain region within the Taebaek Mountains on the east coast of North Korea and the border with South Korea . The region reaches a maximum extension of 40 kilometers in an east-west direction and 60 kilometers in a north-south direction and extends over a total area of ​​530 km². The mountain itself is 1638 meters high. It was depicted on the back of the 1992 1 won note .

geology

The rock consists mainly of granite and diorite . Over the centuries, a large number of different rock formations formed through erosion . Over 12,000 such formations have been counted in the past.

Administrative structure

The region is divided into three main areas:

  • Naekŭmgang ( Inner Diamond Mountains ): species-rich, partly unique flora and fauna , is considered a “feminine” part; many Buddhist temples and hermitages ( e.g. Changan-sa , Maha-yon , Bodeogam ); highest peak of the mountains ( Birobong with 1,638 m)
  • Oekŭmgang ( Outer Diamond Mountains ): karst and therefore also referred to as "masculine", characterized by steep mountain peaks (including Sujeongbong , Ongnyeobongdem )
  • Haekŭmgang ( Sea Diamond Mountains ) on the coast of the Sea of Japan

For a long time the mountains were the focus of Korean Buddhism , the origins of which go back to the 1st century AD. In 1914, according to Japanese information, there were over 40 monasteries with 443 monks and 85 nuns.

Development by rail

The Uchi-Kongo railway terminus at the foot of Mount Kongo (photo between 1931 and 1944)

For better development , a 116.6 km long electrified route between the city of Tetsugen and the foot of the mountain was built between 1924 and 1931, a time when Korea was still a province of Japan called Chosen . The line was inaugurated under the name Kongōsan Denki Tetsudō (German Electric Railway Berg Kongō ). The railway got its name from the 金剛 Japanese pronounced mountain name Kongō , since Japanese was the official national language in the past . With the construction of the route, goods could also be transported much faster, as long detours had to be accepted for the road routes due to the mountainous landscape. From 1944 onwards, part of the route was no longer served due to the war , and the necessary resources were needed elsewhere.

After Japan lost the Second World War , the province of Chōsen was spun off from the Japanese Empire , and the two states of North and South Korea were founded on the Korean Peninsula ; Now parts of the route were in the other country. As a result of the Korean War and the establishment of the Demilitarized Zone , the rails on the South Korean side were dismantled, while on the North Korean side they are still (but unused) to this day.

Kŭmgangsan Tourist Region

See also: Kŭmgang-san Tourist Region

The Kŭmgangsan region has been known for its beauty for centuries. However, since the partition of Korea , this region around the mountain was initially declared a military exclusion zone and was therefore not accessible to the public. It wasn't until the late 1990s that part of the area was reopened to Western tourists. At first, the region was only accessible by ferry from South Korea . Since 2003 it has also been possible to travel to the area by coach. In 2019, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un decided to demolish the hotels built by South Korea in the region, which are to be replaced by North Korean buildings.

Origin of name

The origin of the name is unclear. One theory derives the name from the Buddhist Diamond Sutra . According to other sources, the mountain range is said to have got its name because the mountain peaks shine in the sun in summer.

Trivia

A cigarette of the same name is produced by Korea Sogyong Trading .

literature

  • Hilda C. Bowser: The Kongo-San . In: The Geographical Journal , Vol. 55, No. 1. (Jan 1920), pp. 48-50 JSTOR .
  • James S. Gale: The Diamond Mountains . In: Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society, Korea Branch , Vol. XIII (1922), ISSN  1229-0009 (including travelogue from 1917).
  • P. Klautke: Keum Gang San - The Diamond Mountains of Korea . In: Communications of the OAG , Tokyo, Vol. XXI, C (1926); (Travel guide of historical interest, extensive on flora, fauna and Buddhist sites that no longer exist today; ill.).

Web links

Commons : Kumgangsan  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ P. Klautke: Keum Gang San - The Diamond Mountains of Korea, in: Communications of the OAG , Tokyo, Vol. XXI, C (1926)
  2. ↑ 朝鮮 総 督府 官 報 (The Official Gazette of the Governor General of Korea), Daisho No. 3591, August 2, 1924 (Japanese). The first opening of the Cheorwon - Gimhwa line (28.8 km)
  3. ↑ a b website about the kongōsan denkitetsudō , accessed on June 22, 2009. The disused route was Changdo - Naekŭmgang (49.0 km).
  4. ↑ Fabian Kretschmer: No more holidays in North Korea. the daily newspaper , accessed on October 26, 2019

Coordinates: 38 ° 32 '  N , 128 ° 3'  E