Myogil statue in Mt Kumgang
April 23, 2026The Myogil statue is located in Mt Kumgang, one of the famous mountains in the DPRK. It is also called the Mahayon Myogil statue.
As a statue of a Buddhist image carved on a precipice of the mountain in the period of Koryo Kingdom (918-1392), it is 15m high and 9.4m wide. The face is 3.1m high and 2.6m wide and the eyes, ears, hands and feet are 1m, 1.5m, 3m and 3.2m long respectively.
As one of the biggest and excellent Buddhist images carved in relief on rocks in the country, the statue is so large in scale and unusual in representation as to draw the attention of people.
It depicts comfortably cross-legged Amitabha with the right hand held up and the left one held down. The Buddha’s smiling face with long eyebrows, narrow eyes, unusually long and large drooping ears and plump cheeks, the short and thick neck and the clothes with draperies hanging over the shoulders are common to statues of Amitabha in the period of Koryo.
The statue ensures proper ratio of height to width of the seated Buddha and the face feels delicate and soft.
A stone lantern stands before the statue.
The statue is well preserved as one of the cultural heritage elements showing the talents of the Korean ancestors.
THE PYONGYANG TIMES