Telescope shows a clear “North Korean settlement” …… Travel Journalist Experience Report on “Starbucks”, the closest to North Korea in the world.

A “world-class tourist destination”…and some locals are concerned about “retaliation”.

At the end of November last year, the American coffee chain Starbucks opened a store near the military demarcation line between South and North Korea. The observation deck where the store is located is only 1.4 km away from the North Korean border, across the river that flows in front of the store, which is designated as neutral waters.

According to media reports at the time of the opening, the local mayor, who invited Starbucks to the area, said that he wanted to make it a tourist attraction that would attract worldwide attention. While the Starbucks overlooking North Korea is the first of its kind in the world, the local people are reportedly concerned and anxious about whether there will be any backlash from North Korea, given the tense situation in the region that still remains unresolved.

In early January of this year, I visited the area and used Starbucks. The following is a report on the local situation, as well as other circumstances that make it difficult for Japanese travelers to visit the area.

Under military control, “admission is restricted,” which is why it is difficult for Japanese travelers to make reservations.

The Aegeobong Observatory in Gimpo City, northern South Korea, is known as “the place with the closest view of North Korea” in South Korea. Located on the grounds of the Aekibong Peace Ecological Park, the park is managed by the South Korean military and admission requires reservations, which are made several times a day and limited to 200 people each.

The official website of Aiko Peak Peace Ecological Park has pages in Korean and English. However, reservations for admission to the park are only available in Korean, and visitors must enter their Korean address and other information. In addition, Japanese-issued credit cards and other forms of payment are not accepted for admission fees. In other words, visitors residing in Japan have no choice but to ask local Koreans to make reservations.

If there is space available on the day of the tour, it is possible to buy tickets at the local ticket office. The reservation screen will tell you how many people are available. If it is a weekday or off-season, you can get in early in the morning if you can.

After being “censored” by soldiers with guns, we finally entered the park.

The author was able to buy admission tickets at the local ticket office without a reservation. The ticket costs 3,000 won (about 300 yen) per adult, and a “passport” must be presented at the time of purchase. I had been told when I researched the park in advance that I was required to fill out other necessary information, but this time I did not have to fill out any forms. Payment was made with a prepaid card “WOWPASS” for foreign tourists, which I had registered in advance and charged the required amount.

The ticket office is located at the entrance of the gate, and the observation deck with a Starbucks is just beyond. As soon as the bus departed, it stopped at the gate and a gun-toting soldier from the South Korean Marine Corps, which manages Aiko Peak, entered the bus and checked our tickets and asked us if we had reservations or not, both to and from the bus.

I was still nervous about having a soldier with a gun check my ticket just to use Starbucks, but I answered accurately and without a strong tone of voice, and soon the bus departed. I want to be careful not to lose my ticket.

From the observation deck, well visible with the naked eye and binoculars, “Life in North Korea.”

After getting off the shuttle bus, we crossed the suspension bridge and climbed for about 10 minutes to reach the observation deck and Starbucks. From the observation deck, we could see North Korea across the river, and even though I had been to another observation deck on a previous DMZ (demilitarized zone) tour, I felt, “Well, North Korea is very close.

The observatory was lined with a number of high-precision telescopes with binoculars and monitors, which anyone could use free of charge. Looking through the binoculars, we could clearly see North Korean villages and fields, people walking or riding bicycles on the road, and North Korea’s slogans such as “Long Live the Revolutionary Thought! and other North Korean slogans.

The lifestyle of the people living in North Korea is still shrouded in mystery. I felt I was able to catch a glimpse of this.

However, the view from the observatory was a “propaganda village” intentionally created by North Korea. It is said that no one actually lives there, but through the telescope we saw quite a few people, including children. If you are interested, it is worth the trip up here.

What it feels like to savor a Starbucks latte or Frappuccino while looking down on North Korea…

The Starbucks at the Aiko Peak Observatory has a store and eat-in area on the first floor, and is basically open from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm every day. It is not very spacious and was already full at 11:00 am.

You can enjoy the same drinks and snacks as in the regular store, and some of the seats even have a power supply. Tumblers, mugs, and other goods were available for purchase, but there were no special items available only at this store.

North Korea was clearly visible through the glass windows of the store. It was also interesting to note that the restaurant was set up and the seating was arranged in such a way that the view straight ahead toward North Korea was clearly visible through the large glass window. In the warmer months, more customers would take out and savor a latte or frappuccino while overlooking North Korea from this elevated vantage point.

On the day we visited, the restaurant was also busy from start to finish with mostly Korean customers. The observatory was even more crowded after noon, when the shuttle buses were full.

A difficult place to reach without a car, the author did the “round trip route” on his own…

Actually, it was a bit difficult to get to the Aiko Peak Observatory by myself. First, I took the Gimpo Gold Line (Gimpo Urban Railway) to Jangi Station, and then took an Uber to the gate of the Aiko Peak Peace Ecological Park. The distance was about 18 km, and the fare was 17,300 won (about 1,700 yen).

On the other hand, on the way back, I called an Uber in front of the gate, but it did not come after all. A Korean staff member at a nearby parking lot told me to call a Kakao Taxi, but when I explained that I did not have a Kakao account, he told me that there were buses running if I walked to the street from here. It was mainly uphill on the way there, but downhill on the way back, which was helpful.

According to the map on my smartphone, taking the bus from here would take me to Unyang Station on the Gimpo Gold Line without any transfers. After a 10-minute wait at the bus stop, a small micro bus arrived. After less than an hour of riding with a charged T-money card, we arrived at Unyang Station, being bumped around by the bus driver’s somewhat rough driving, which is unique to Korea, through strange streets and in the middle of fields. From this station, we returned to central Seoul via Gimpo Airport Station.

Once a fierce battleground of the Korean War, “North Korea x Starbucks” attracts visitors from all over the world?

The majority of visitors to the Aiko Peak Observatory, including Starbucks, were South Koreans, with a few foreigners. Many of them were visiting by car. Considering the purchase of admission tickets, how to pay for them, and transportation access, it would be difficult to go there by yourself unless you are somewhat familiar with Korea, travel abroad, or have good language skills. If you must go there, it would be wise to take a tour that stops at the Aiko Peak Observatory or hire a local guide to take you there and back. It takes about 2.5 hours from Seoul Station to the Aikobong Observatory by train.

Aikobong is one of the places that symbolize the history and reality of the division of Korea into North and South, as it was the site of fierce fighting between the North and South during the Korean War. Taking advantage of its proximity to North Korea, the area is also known for its Christmas tree-shaped nighttime lighting each winter, which was reopened last year for the first time in nine years after several interruptions due to North Korean threats and other factors.

North Korea’s response to the Starbucks appears to be so far minimal. The Korean Peninsula is currently tense, with tours to the famous Panmunjom, the border between North and South Korea, having been suspended after last summer’s border crossing incident and never resumed.

We enjoy watching North Korea while sipping a Starbucks drink, a symbol of American capitalism. On the other hand, a monument commemorating the Korean War casualties was nearby, and in contrast to its historical background and the current complicated situation, it has already become a popular tourist destination in the month or so since its opening.

Click here for the official website of Aiko Peak Peace Ecological Park.