It belongs to the alpine region and has relatively high rainfall, with heavy rainfall in July and August.

[15] The East-West difference is severe, and the

rainfall increases from Haegeumgang to Oegeumgang, but due to the phenomenon of Foehn, the rainfall decreases from Naegeumgang to
Naegeumgang. It is also warm and humid in preparation for the overall climate in Korea. However, depending on the altitude, cold temperatures of
minus 10 to 30 degrees Celsius will continue in the winter, and depending on the region, snow will fall as early as October. These climatic conditions lie
at the intersection of the northern and southern plants.[15]

Mount Kumgang Tourist Region[edit]

Main article: Mount Kumgang Tourist Region

Mount Kumgang from the coast

Sea Kumgang Mount Kumgang

Starting in 1998, South Korean tourists were allowed to visit Mount Kumgang, initially travelling by cruise ship, and later more commonly by coach. In
2002, the area around the mountain was separated from Kangwŏn Province and organized as a separately-administered Tourist Region. The land
route was opened in 2003. A rail link exists on the North Korean side up to the border, but no tracks are laid between Gangneung and the border in
South Korea.

In 1998, there were 15,500 tourists in November and December, in 1999 there were 148,000, and in 2000 213,000. In 2001 tourist numbers dropped to
58,000 amidst disagreements over the access over land. As of 2002, almost 500,000 had visited the Mount Kumgang Tourist Region. Tourist numbers
then reached about 240,000 a year. In June 2005, Hyundai Asan announced the one millionth South Korean visit to the area.[16]

The Mount Kumgang Tourist Region, developed by Hyundai Asan, was thought to be one way for the North Korean government to earn hard currency.
The currency at the resort was neither the South Korean won nor the North Korean won, but the Chinese RMB and US dollar.[17][18] Food and services to
South Korean tourists were provided by some North Koreans. But most of the staff in the hotels are Chinese citizens of Korean heritage with Korean
language skills.[citation needed] There had been plans to expand the site but as of late 2022 there were reports based on satellite imagery that the resort's
facilities, including a golf course and a floating hotel, were being dismantled pursuant to directives from leader Kim Jong Un.[19]

On the morning of July 11, 2008, a 53-year-old South-Korean tourist was shot and killed while walking on the resort's beach. Park Wang-ja entered a
military area by crossing over a sand dune and was shot twice by North Korean soldiers. North Korea claimed that sentries had no choice but to shoot
her because, despite their order to stop, she fled. South Korea demanded an on-the-spot survey, but North Korea declined it, claiming all the facts
were clear and all responsibilities were the victim's and South Korea's. Due to the shooting, South Korea temporarily suspended all trips to Mount
Kumgang.[20]
In March 2010, the DPRK government warned of "extraordinary measures" if the tourism ban were not lifted.[21] On April 23, 2010, the North Korean
government seized 5 properties owned by South Korea at the resort, saying that it was done "in compensation for the damage the North side suffered
due to the suspension of the tour for a long period." In seizing the properties, North Korea also alluded to the Baengnyeong incident, showing
displeasure with South Korea blaming North Korea for the sinking of the ship.[22]

Since April 2010, North Korea is now permitting companies to run tours from the North Korean side,[23] making it appear increasingly unlikely that tours
will be resumed from the South. However, on October 1, 2010, news reports said, "Red Cross officials from the two Koreas agreed Friday to hold
reunions for families separated by the Korean War amid mixed signals from North Korea on easing tensions over the sinking of a South Korean
warship. One hundred families from each country will attend the meetings from Oct. 30 to Nov. 5 at a hotel and reunion center at the North's scenic
Diamond Mountain resort, Unification Ministry spokeswoman Lee Jong-joo said."[citation needed]

As of September 2011, North Korea has begun operating cruises directly from Rason in north-eastern North Korea, to the port in Mount Kumgang,
offering visitors the chance to stay in the resorts previously run by the south. Although they are aimed primarily at Chinese guests, western companies
are also offering the tours.[24][25]

Cultural significance[edit]

Spring view, Autumn view by Jeong Seon

Various Korean artists have revered Kŭmgangsan as a subject for art and poetry since antiquity.[26] Numerous poets and artists who lived during
the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910) made pilgrimages to Kŭmgangsan.[26] Among other well-known works, are the Geumgang jeondo and
the Pungaknaesan chongramdo, painted in the 1740s by Jeong Seon.

The division of the Korean peninsula in 1950 resulted in the South Korean people finding themselves unable to visit this beloved mountain for the better
part of 50 years.[27] The 155-mile-long (249 km) barbed-wire fence erected as part of the DMZ (Demilitarized zone) separating the two Koreas proved to
be a