SEOUL, South Korea—A new Starbucks at a South Korean border observatory offers coffee drinkers the opportunity to sip their beverages while enjoying a peaceful view of a North Korean mountain village.
Before entering the observatory at Aegibong Peace Ecopark, customers must pass through a military checkpoint. The observatory, located less than a mile from North Korean territory, overlooks North Korea’s Songaksan mountain and a nearby village in Kaephung county.
At the Starbucks, tables and windows face North Korea, attracting around 40 visitors, including a few foreigners, to the opening on Friday.
The presence of Starbucks at the South Korean city of Gimpo’s border facilities is part of efforts to develop them as a tourist destination. The shop symbolizes “robust security on the Korean Peninsula through the presence of this iconic capitalist brand,” according to Gimpo officials.
A visitor watched North Korean side at the observatory of the Aegibong Peace Ecopark in Gimpo, South Korea, on Nov. 29, 2024. Lee Jin-man/AP Photo
The observatory is the main attraction at Aegibong park, which was constructed on a hill that witnessed intense battles during the 1950–1953 Korean War. The park also features gardens, exhibition and conference halls, and a war memorial honoring fallen marines.
South Korean border cities like Gimpo and Paju are working on developing their border sites as tourist destinations, despite escalating tensions between the two Koreas.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been increasing pressure on South Korea and threatening to use nuclear weapons if provoked. North Korea has also been carrying out psychological and electronic warfare against South Korea, including sending balloons filled with trash into the South and disrupting GPS signals near the South’s largest airport.
It is believed that Kaephung county is one of the locations from where North Korea has launched thousands of balloons over several months.
South Korea’s military reported that North Korea flew dozens more balloons overnight, with some trash and leaflets landing in Seoul and Gyeonggi province.
