Seven Goryeo-era (Koryo) tombs, including two within the official buffer zone of the Kaesong city UNESCO World Heritage Site, appear to have been damaged or otherwise opened, according to high-resolution satellite imagery, raising questions about the safety of archaeological sites within North Korea.

The ancient city that is now Kaesong was settled in 918. For a period of 434 years, it served as the primary Korean capital under successive Goryeo and Joseon rulers, until it lost its capital status to Seoul (Hanyang) in 1394.

As the former capital, the Kaesong region hosts dozens of royal tombs and the