The important PH (paleontological heritages) with scientific, educational and esthetic values designated as natural monuments and protected by legislations of South and North Koreas are herein compared for the first time. On the basis of data (Jan. 2017) provided by the Cultural Heritage Administration of (South) Korea, a total of 457 natural monuments was designated. Of these, geological heritages are 80 in number, which includes 24 (30%) PH. Data (Dec. 2005) of North Korea show that a total of 474 natural monuments was designated. Among these, geological and geographical ones are 154 in number, which includes 22 (14%) PH. Differences between PH of South and North Koreas are regarded to be directly related with geological difference in distribution of the fossil-bearing strata between South and North Koreas. PH of Silurian corals, Devonian plants, Jurassic fishes, Cretaceous dinosaur tracks, birds (so called Korean Archaeopteryx) and pterosaurs, and Pleistocene paleoanthropological fossils appear to be scientifically significant. Together with these North Korean PH, scientific, esthetic, conservational, educational, and economical values of important PH including KCDC (Korean Cretaceous Dinosaur Coast), Jigunsan Shale, and Geumgwangdong Shale of South Korea should be evaluated as potential future candidates for international heritages.

Moderately diverse, but very abundant trace fossils are found from the Late Pleistocene deposits of Jeju Island, Korea. Vertical I-, Y- and U-shaped domichnia of annelids or decapods are, over 2500, extremely abundant, 3D network domichnia of callianassids are, over 200, very abundant, and small sinuous trails of nematode repichnia are, over 50, abundant in number. Horizontal trails attributable to polychaete or worm-like animals are, less than 50, common, but horizontal spreiten burrows, fish traces and crab trackways are, less than 10, rare in occurrence. Of these trace fossils, Taenidium barretti, Undichna britannica and Undichna unisulca represent the first record from the Pleistocene in Asia. Psilonichnus upsilon is the second record in Asia. Crab trackways probably produced by underwater punting gait of sideway walking crabs may represent the first record in the world. In addition, diverse and very abundant footprints of more than 500 hominids, more than 200 birds and more than 1000 mammals are closely associated with these invertebrate trace fossils. Trace fossil assemblage integrated with sedimentary facies is interpreted to have been formed in the marginal marine foreshore to backshore environment corresponding to the Psilonichnus and Skolithos ichnofacies.