Gimpo Aegibong Draws Crowds with "North Korea-view Starbucks"
A Unique Spot to Savor Coffee While Overlooking North Korean Villages
Word of Mouth Drives Surge in Domestic and International Tourists
The Aegibong Peace Ecological Park in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, has seen a significant increase in visitors following the opening of a Starbucks store. Located just 1.4 kilometers from Gaepung County in North Korea, this branch has quickly become a popular hotspot, as word has spread about its unique location where visitors can enjoy coffee while looking out over North Korean civilian villages and Mount Songak. In particular, the arrival of Starbucks?a symbol of capitalism?at a site that was once the front line of ideological confrontation has made it a must-visit destination for international tourists.
According to Yonhap News on May 13, the number of visitors to the Aegibong Peace Ecological Park in Gimpo reached 190,234 last year, with a monthly average of 15,852. However, from January to April this year, the park saw 129,517 visitors, averaging 32,379 per month?more than double the previous year. The number of foreign tourists also increased significantly, from 16,441 last year (a monthly average of 1,370) to 13,409 in the first four months of this year (a monthly average of 3,352), representing a 2.4-fold increase.
Citizens visiting the Aegibong Peace Ecological Park Jogang Observatory in Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi, are looking toward Kaepung County, Hwanghae Province, North Korea, in front of the Starbucks Gimpo Aegibong Ecological Park branch. Photo by Yonhap News
The surge in visitors began after the Starbucks store opened inside the Aegibong Peace Ecological Park in November last year. The store gained popularity as the so-called "North Korea-view Starbucks," where visitors can see North Korean territory without the need for telescopes.
This branch is located on the second floor of the observatory within Aegibong Peace Ecological Park. The distance from the park to the coast of Gaepung County, Hwanghae Province, North Korea, is only 1.4 kilometers. Both the civilian villages of Gaepung County and Mount Songak are clearly visible. With a zoomed-in smartphone, visitors can even spot North Korean residents. However, as the only Starbucks located within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), where civilian access is restricted, entry is only permitted after passing a security checkpoint, and the number of daily visitors is limited to 2,000.
The world's first Starbucks store at the border of the armistice line has also attracted significant attention from international media. Last year, the Associated Press reported on the opening of the Starbucks Gimpo Aegibong Ecological Park branch, stating, "At a Starbucks located at a South Korean border observatory, customers can enjoy drinks while taking in the tranquil mountain villages of North Korea." CNN reported, "On clear days, visitors can observe North Korea's low-rise buildings and farms, and with high-powered telescopes or cameras, even spot North Korean residents."
Citizens visiting the Aegibong Peace Ecological Park Jogang Observatory in Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi Province, are looking toward Gaepung County, Hwanghae Province, North Korea. Photo by Yonhap News
In addition to the opening of Starbucks, the city of Gimpo believes that its policy of developing Aegibong Peace Ecological Park as a global tourist destination?including monthly nighttime openings since October 2023?is proving effective. The Aegibong Ecological Park opened in 2021 after demolishing the old Aegibong Observatory and establishing the Peace Ecological Exhibition Hall, Jogang Observatory, and ecological trails.
The city of Gimpo expects the cumulative number of visitors to Aegibong to surpass 800,000 by the end of the year, following the milestone of 500,000 in February. Mayor Kim Byungsoo stated, "Since Gimpo has lacked a representative tourist attraction, we aimed to develop one, and our top priority was to attract as many visitors as possible. Having achieved our first goal in a short period of time, we will now focus on further expanding tourism infrastructure to revitalize the local economy."
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