The Bukhan-san Sub-Range especially Samgak-san 삼각산 840m and Inwang-san 인 왕산 388m, and also including An-san, Bugak-san, Dobong-san, Sapye-san, Surak-san, Bulam-san and Acha-san. North and East of Seoul City. Some of these are in the Bukhan-san National Park, others are Local Parks.
Jiri-san 지리산 Gurye County of South Jeolla Province; Hadong, Sancheong and Hamyang Counties of South Gyeongsang Province; and Namwon City of North Jeolla Province; National Park, Cheonhwang-bong 1915m, Banya-bong 1733m & Nogo-dan 1507m
Halla-san 한라산 Jeju-do Province & Island, National Park, 1950m
Eastern Korea:
Baekdu-san 백두산 DPRK and China border, National Park, 2850m
Geumgang-san 금강산 DPRK Gangwon Province, National Park, 1908m Famous as the "Diamond Mountains"
Taebaek-san 태백산 Gangwon Province, Taebaek City, Provincial Park, 1567m (including Hambaek-san of Taebaek-shi, and Cheong-ok-san, Guryong-san and Eungbong-san of Bonghwa & Uljin Counties)
Geumjeong-san 금정산 Busan City, City Parks, 802m (including Sanggye-bong, Sanghak-san, Baekyang-san, Eumgwang-san, Gubong-san and Yongdu-san)
These 9 mountains are the ones I have judged to be Korea's holiest, by the criteria explained on this page and my 20 years of visiting them and studying this subject. They break down in a convenient and balanced split between 5 in the central and western regions and 4 in the eastern regions (meaning the Taebaek Range and its southern extension now dubbed the Nakdong-Jeongmaek or "Yeongnam Alps"), going as far west in the southern region as the Nakdong River. They are listed here North-to-South. Only three mountains from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) are listed, due to our lack of information about historical and current mountain-worship traditions there; those 3 are labled "DPRK". Click on the name to see my photos and discussion of that mountain and its San-shin shrines.
Nine has long been one of the most sacred numbers in Korean traditional religions (being 3x3), and that is why I have used it here instead of a Western-style "Top-10" or even 12 as I used in the List for South Korea only. See also my discussion of the Gu-san [nine sacred mountains of Korea's Seon Buddhism] for further perspective. There are several shrines and artworks extant in South Korea that depict nine sacred mountains of the entire nation -- these lists can be different from mine. A variety of lists of nine can be made, for example by emphasizing Buddhist, Shamanic, historic or current- pilgrimage elements in the criteria. For example, one could easily replace Geunjeong-san in the list below with the Gyeongju O-ak, Odae-san or perhaps even Palgong-san...