B Course to Haegeumgang to Open from May 9
7.2 km from Tongil Observatory to Geumgangsan Observatory
The Geumgangsan Observatory in Goseong, Gangwon Province, which had been closed since 2023 due to strained inter-Korean relations, will reopen.
The Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province announced on May 6 that it will operate the DMZ Peace Trail Theme Route B course from May 9 to November 30.
Geumgangsan Guseonbong Peak and Gamho Lake as seen from Geumgangsan Observatory. Photo by Yonhap News
The Goseong DMZ Peace Trail Theme Route consists of two courses: A and B. Course A (Tongil Observatory), which has been in operation since April 29, is a 3.6-kilometer round-trip walking route that starts at Tongil Observatory and follows the coastal barbed-wire fence to the Coastal Observatory, Tongjeon Tunnel, and the Southern Limit Line. Course B (Geumgangsan Observatory), reopening after three years, is a 7.2-kilometer route in which participants travel by vehicle from Tongil Observatory to Geumgangsan Observatory, observe North Korean territory as part of a security tour, and then return to Tongil Observatory.
Geumgangsan Observatory is located closer to the North than Tongil Observatory, making it the place where visitors can view Geumgangsan and Haegeumgang at the closest distance. During its closure, Goseong County reportedly received a steady stream of requests such as "I want to see Geumgangsan up close" and "Please reopen Course B."
The theme route program operates twice daily, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Each session accommodates 20 people per course (A and B), for a total of 40 visitors per day. Applications can be made online through the official "Peace Trail" website and other platforms.
Yoon Gwangsoon, head of the province's border area division, stated, "The Goseong Peace Trail Theme Route B course in Gangwon has reopened after three years," adding, "With all six theme routes in the province fully open this year, we expect border area security tourism to become even more active."
Previously, the DMZ Peace Trail theme route courses in Cheorwon, Hwacheon, Yanggu, and Inje?border areas in Gangwon Province?were opened on April 18. The theme routes are trails established to allow visitors to experience the value of freedom, security, and peace by utilizing the ecological, cultural, and historical resources of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and the areas north of the Civilian Control Line (CCL). These courses will also operate until November 30. Those wishing to visit the DMZ Peace Trail Theme Route courses can apply through the Korea Tourism Organization's "Peace Trail" website or the Durunubi walking travel mobile application. The participation fee is 10,000 won.
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