Short_Mt. Kumbang, North Korea

Mount Kumbang, North Korea

Photographed by Andrew D. Short

   View from South Korea's Unification Observatory across the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to North Korea. The 5 km long beach is backed by a low 300 m wide barrier that links the two Koreans. This view shows the beach, which is exposed to periodic higher waves (1-2 m), which maintain a crescentic rhythmic bar and beach system, the rhythmic shoreline visible in the image. The 1600 m high granite Mount Kumbang lies in North Korea and is a popular tourist destination. The 4 km wide DMZ which, was established in 1953 is now the least developed beach and best preserved coastal system in Korea. The DMZ is also home to several endangered species including tigers, leopards, and bears, resulting in calls for it to be designated a wildlife refuge and even a World Heritage Site. (Photograph was taken on 18 September 2014, by Andrew D. Short, School of Geosciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.)