VI
EN
This Starbucks location, which opened in late 2024, is situated in the Aegibong Peace Ecopark in Gimpo City, South Korea, approximately 32.2 km north of Seoul and just 1.4 km from North Korea. The store is near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), one of the world's most heavily armed border regions, with over 2 million soldiers constantly on the verge of war.
Located atop an observation tower on the border with North Korea, customers here experience a unique sensation as they sip their drinks while gazing out at one of the world's most mysterious countries. On clear days, they can see farms and low-rise buildings in Kaepung County, North Korea. With a good pair of binoculars or a camera with extreme zoom capabilities, they can even spot people strolling around.
Photo taken from the top of the Aegibong Peak observation deck, looking towards North Korea.
Customers crowded the observation deck outside the cafe.
Kim Byung Soo, the mayor of Gimpo City, called the site representative of “the allure of Korean culture.” Local authorities have also leveraged the site’s “historical significance” to promote tourism. The ecological area where the cafe is located was originally the site of Hill 154, where North and South Korea and their allies fiercely fought during the Korean War. Today, several observation towers remain along the border between the two countries, serving as historical witnesses and tourist attractions.
Besides enjoying the unique experience, customers here – especially South Koreans – also expressed regret over the situation between the two countries and a desire for reconciliation. Baek Hea-soon, a local resident, shared, “I wish I could share this delicious cup of coffee with the North Koreans right in front of us.” Located right in front of a military site where tensions have been high for over 70 years, this Starbucks offers a sense of peace and security to its visitors.
This is an alternative to DMZ tours, which attract tons of tourists every year, according to the Korea Tourism Organization.
In July 1953, an armistice agreement was signed between North and South Korea with the aim of ensuring an end to armed activities of the 1950-1953 Korean War until the two sides reached a final peace agreement. However, in reality, no peace agreement has been reached between the two sides to this day, and North and South Korea remain technically at war.
The cafe opened at a time of heightened tension between the two countries. In January 2024, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared that his country would no longer seek reconciliation and unification with South Korea. By October of the same year, Kim further threatened to use nuclear weapons to destroy South Korea after President Yoon Suk Yeol warned North Korea would face “the end of the regime” if it inflicted any harm on South Korea.
According to two travel companies with ties to North Korea, the isolated nation will reopen international tourism later this year, nearly five years after it completely closed its borders due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Starbucks is one of the few ways for South Koreans and international tourists to glimpse North Korea without actually going there. Despite decades of political conflict, this coffee shop stands as a testament to the hope for reconciliation between the two nations, a testament to the potential for another senseless war.
