Endemic Species of North Korea
No species are confirmed as endemic to North Korea.
Understand that “endemic” means a plant or animal lives only in one place on Earth. Country borders do not usually match nature’s borders. The Korean Peninsula and its ecosystems extend across the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Republic of Korea (South Korea), and into neighboring China and Russia. As a result, published checklists and global databases do not list any species whose entire range lies only inside the political borders of North Korea.
Note that this empty result comes from biology, mapping, and data limits. Many species in North Korea are shared with nearby regions. Scientists also have limited access to large parts of the DPRK, so surveys are fewer and older than in many countries. Taxonomy changes over time: a species once thought unique to a place can later be found elsewhere or reclassified as a subspecies. These factors make it hard to prove a strict, country-only endemic for North Korea right now.
Consider close alternatives and useful directions. Look for species endemic to the Korean Peninsula as a whole, and for island or mountain endemics in nearby South Korea (for example, plants and invertebrates tied to Jeju Island). Also explore species with very small ranges that include parts of North Korea, and consult sources such as IUCN, GBIF, Flora of Korea, BirdLife, and the Korean Red List for regional endemics and threatened species. Explore peninsula-level lists and regional red lists instead of expecting DPRK-only endemics.
