South Korea’s state-run arboretum expressed hope to collaborate with North Korean researchers after discovering the rare leopard lily further north than previously known, near the Demilitarized Zone. 

“From a researcher’s perspective, there’s definitely a sense of curiosity and a desire to learn more, especially because those [areas in North Korea] are places we can’t access or conduct research in,” a Korea National Arboretum spokesman told NK News on Tuesday. 

“Finding the northern range limit of a plant is important for biodiversity,” he said. “I imagine researchers on both sides feel the same way.”

The national arboretum announcedTuesday that it