Why Mount Paektu?

The leaders and first ladies of the Koreas at Heaven Lake, Mount Paektu, on Thursday. Joint Press Corps

By Dong Sun-hwa

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jung-un climbed Mount Paektu, a "sacred mountain," as a mean to strengthen their ties on Thursday during the Pyongyang Summit.

Many believe that the climb conveys the message that the two leaders are resolute in their quest to bring about a new era of peace and prosperity on Korean Peninsula, as well as their willingness to take the lead on their own issues instead of being swayed by other nations.

At 2,744 meters high (9,003 feet), Mount Paektu, an active volcano on the border of North Korea and China, is the highest mountain on the Korean Peninsula.

Moon, Kim visit 'sacred' Mount Paektu 2018-09-20 17:25  |  Politics Moon returns home from Pyongyang trip 2018-09-20 08:34  |  North Korea
It is called "a mountain with myths" for its distinctive natural environment including Heaven Lake, a huge crater lake within the caldera atop the mountain. Koreans have long believed it is a sacred feature symbolizing the peninsula and Koreans.

The North Korean leader is known to have visited the mountain when making crucial political decisions or facing the need to unite the people. The ruling Kim family is also known as the "Mount Paektu Bloodline."

In 2014, actor Kim Soo-hyun and Jun Ji-hyun were mired in a controversy after appearing in a Chinese advertisement for mineral water, because China used the name "Mount Changbai" to indicate the source of water.

"Mount Changbai" is the Chinese name for Mount Paektu.

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