A North Korean illustrated book of martial arts has been listed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Regional Register for Asia-Pacific.

The book, which dates back to the 18th century, was published in April 1790 upon the instruction of the 22nd king of the ‘Joseon’ dynasty. It was illustrated by a famous Korean folk painter who drew the illustrations based on the Korean martial arts taekwondo.

The book gives a lucid explanation of different unarmed martial arts, swordsmanship, horsemanship and other Korean martial art techniques as well as some movements of Chinese and Japanese martial arts. It is now preserved at North Korea’s Grand People's Study House in Pyongyang.