The russet sparrow is known as a non-migratory rare bird living in South Sakhalin and Southern Kurils of Russia, southeastern area of China, northwestern area of India and Ullung Island and the southeastern hilly areas of Jeju Island of Korea.

In last May, researchers of the Biodiversity Institute under the State Academy of Sciences found three nests of russet sparrow under the tiled roof of a house near the Lake Sijung in Thongchon County of Kangwon Province, which belongs to the Kumgangsan Biosphere Sanctuary, as well as 15 parent russet sparrows and two young.

This proves that the russet sparrow also inhabits in the northern central area of the Korean peninsula, which is of great academic significance in studying the migration of rare birds and improving the work for protecting biodiversity.

The Kumgangsan Biosphere Sanctuary covering vast areas of Kosong, Kumgang and Thongchon counties of Kangwon Province is of great value as a biosphere sanctuary, as it has peculiar natural landscape and diverse ecological system and serves as a habitat for 1 200-odd species of plants and over 250 species of animals.

It was registered as a world biosphere reserve at the 30th meeting of the UNESCO International Coordinating Council of the Man and Biosphere Program held in Indonesia on July 25, Juche 107 (2018).