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Magnolia, the national flower of the DPRK

   Flower is the symbol of happiness, joy and beauty. 

   Therefore, people have been raising beautiful and precious flowers of various kinds with great care and appointed the most beautiful and fragrant flower as the national flower  that  symbolizes  the  country and  the  nation.

   Magnolia, the national flower of the DPRK is a shrub growing in valleys and hillsides in different parts of Korea except some northern areas. 

   The petal  of magnolia is particularly white as snow and rather big. Also it has peculiar fragrance and bears fruit and is  full of vitality. Therefore,,it can be regarded as the king of the flower. 

   As the flower has shining and wide green leaf  with clean and white petal, it expresses the spirit of strong and intelligent nation so that it has become the symbol of Korean nation,    《Magnolia》(Mokran) was named by the President Kim Il Sung.

National Dog of Korea, Phungsan dog

   The national dog of Korea is Pungsan dog, a well known and friendly dog. 

   The dog, Phungsan, is native to Kim Hyong Gwon County( the then Phungsan County) in Ryanggang Province, and its name Phungsan is originated from the area. It has firm rear legs and runs fast in a mountainous area. Its hair is white but sometimes yellow brown. It can stand cold and has a strong resistance to disease. It has a keen appetite. It usually weighs 18~25kg, and is 60cm long. It is a strongly built dog. It is not only used as a hound but as a guide dog. 

   Phungsan dog, a special breed of the DPRK, famous from the past is loved by Korean People and is designated as a living monument and is bred under the concern of the government. The dog is clever, strenuous, intelligent and is full of vitality. It is well known to the world as an excellent hound. 

Goshawk, the national bird of Korea

   Goshawk, the national bird of Korea is an all-season bird that multiplies and passes the winter in Korea. 

   An adult goshawk normally weights about 500~1100g and 400~600mm in height. The length of tail is 140~280mm and the nib is 18~22mm. A female bird is bigger than a male bird. 

   An adult male bird has a white pattern on the forehead and the upper part of the head is black while the back neck is brownish black. 

   The back, shoulder, loin parts are slightly black and the tail is brownish black with white end. The feather in the chest, belly, and the leg is white and has black brownish cross pattern. 

   Though it is not big, it has sharp nib, fast speed, intelligent spirit, balanced body, sharp eyes. Therefore is well known and has become intimated through the long period of history and widely used for hunting animals like pheasants and hares. 

Mt Kumgang area has been newly inscribed as the World Biosphere Reserve

   Mt Kumgang area has been newly inscribed as the World Biosphere Reserve.
   The 30th meeting of the International Coordinating Council of the UNESCO Human and Biosphere Program, which was held from July 23rd to 28th, 2018 in Indonesia, adopted a decision to inscribe the Mt Kumgang area as the World Biosphere Reserve.
   According to the nature and terrain of the Mt Kumgang area there inhabited about 1200 species of plants and 250 species of vertebrate animals and it has a lot of vestiges, relics and living monuments that show the long history of Korea. As it is so, Mt Kumgang has enough condition to continuously use its biological variety and multilaterally develop the economy of the area.
   Mt Kumgang which has cloud-kissing jagged peaks, various fantastic rocks, giant rocky cliffs, different deep valleys and a lot of waterfalls pouring in the shape of rainbows, which go well with each other, has been well known to the world as the superb scenic beauty and the world best mountain, so that a lot of tourists visit here and enjoy their time.