It's the stuff of an Indiana Jones movie: supernatural kings, ancient tombs, and government-backed archaeologists striving to harness the power of legend for a greater cause.

On a divided Korean Peninsula, tales of King Dangun — the mythical founder of the first Korean kingdom more than 4,350 years ago — play a quiet but persistent role in keeping the dream of reunification alive.

This mythology made an appearance in September when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un took South Korean President Moon Jae-in to the top of Mount Paektu, the supposed birthplace of Dangun.