[1] The notion of the mountain ranges that prevailed during the Japanese occupation era was one based on geological structures under the ground, rather than topographical ones.

[needs update] Before 2005, the Baekdu-daegan remained entirely unknown to the world outside Korea, but tourism professor David A. Mason began to promote it to the global audience in English by establishing a website and publishing articles.

[11] On January 3, 2011, Mason was appointed the Honorary Public Relations Ambassador of the Baekdu-daegan by Minister Chung of the Korea Forest Service,[12] under authority of Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

Shepherd continued his explorations and international promotions of the Baekdu-daegan, including expeditions into some parts of it in North Korea.

[6][2] At the 2018 Winter Olympics held in Pyeongchang, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a speech that the two Koreas were bound together by the Baekdu-daegan.

[2] At the April 2018 Inter-Korean Summit, Chairman Kim Jong Un and President Moon symbolically planted a native tree using soil from both Paektu Mountain and Hallasan.