Kim Jong Il's Mount Paektu "birthplace" and surrounding areas appear to be undamaged, despite October 2014 reports in the South Korean media which said a "raging wildfire" had burned the tourist spot down.
Recent photos of the site – which holds particular reverence in North Korea due to propaganda history about Kim Jong Il's early life there – show no sign of damage to the structure or nearby forest, even when compared to pictures taken before the alleged wildfire.
Kim Jong Il's Mount Paektu "birthplace" and surrounding areas appear to be undamaged, despite October 2014 reports in the South Korean media which said a "raging wildfire" had burned the tourist spot down.
Recent photos of the site – which holds particular reverence in North Korea due to propaganda history about Kim Jong Il's early life there – show no sign of damage to the structure or nearby forest, even when compared to pictures taken before the alleged wildfire.
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Chad O'Carroll is the founder of NK News/NK Pro and related holding company Korea Risk Group. In addition to being the group's CEO, O'Carroll is a frequent writer and commentator about the Koreas, having written about the two nations since 2010. He has visited the DPRK multiple times, worked and lived in Washington, D.C. with a focus on peninsula issues, and lived in the ROK since 2016.