World’s Closest Starbucks to North Korea: A Travel Journalist’s View Through a Telescope

2025-01-22

Towards a world-famous tourist destination. Local residents express concerns over possible retaliation.

In late November last year, an American coffee chain, Starbucks, opened near the military demarcation line between South and North Korea. The store is located at an observatory, and just 1.4 km away, across a neutral waterway, lies North Korea.

According to reports at the time of its opening, the local mayor who facilitated Starbucks’ arrival stated that he aimed to turn the area into a globally recognized tourist destination. While this is the first Starbucks in the world with a full view of North Korea, concerns persist among locals about potential backlash from the North, as tensions in the region remain unresolved.

In early January this year, I visited the site and experienced the Starbucks firsthand. This report will cover the atmosphere of the location, as well as the complexities that make it difficult for Japanese travelers to visit.

The Starbucks that opened in late November 2024 at Aegibong Peak Observatory (left). In front of the store is a viewing platform offering a full view of North Korea. Binoculars are available for free, while high-precision monitor-type telescopes support four languages, including Japanese, and allow users to download images displayed on the screen.

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

The Aegibong Peak Observatory, located in Gimpo, northern South Korea, is known as the place where North Korea can be seen from the shortest distance. It is situated within the Aegibong Peace Ecological Park, which is managed by the South Korean military and requires a reservation for entry. Access is limited to a few sessions per day, with a maximum of 200 visitors per session.

The official website of the Aegibong Peace Ecological Park offers pages in both Korean and English. However, reservations can only be made on the Korean-language page, requiring the input of a South Korean address. Additionally, Japanese-issued credit cards and other foreign payment methods cannot be used for the entrance fee. As a result, Japanese travelers must rely on local South Koreans to make a reservation on their behalf.

If there are open slots on the day of the visit, tickets can be purchased at the on-site ticket office. The reservation page also displays the remaining number of available spots. While securing entry on holidays can be challenging, visiting early in the morning on a weekday during the off-season increases the chances of getting in.

The gate of the Aikobong Peace Ecological Park. The South Korean Marine Corps, which guards the park and other areas, stands in front of the gate to censor admission tickets. The two-story building next to the gate is the ticket office, where Korean and English are spoken.

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.

Ticket purchased at the site. The admission fee is inexpensive at 3,000 won (about 300 yen), but it is difficult to make reservations in advance if you are a Japanese traveler. If you want to enter the observatory, arrive early in the morning because the number of visitors is limited to 200 several times a day.

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

After getting off the shuttle bus and crossing a suspension bridge, a 10-minute climb led to the observatory and Starbucks. From the observatory, the view of North Korea across the river was breathtaking, and even for someone like me, who had previously visited another observatory on a DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) tour, it was strikingly close to North Korea.

At the observatory, several binoculars and high-precision telescopes with monitors were available for free use. Looking through the binoculars, I could clearly see North Korean villages, fields, people walking or riding bicycles, and slogans like “Long live revolutionary thought!”—all visible from the view.

It offered a rare glimpse into the lives of people in North Korea, which remains shrouded in many mysteries.

However, it’s worth noting that the scenery visible from this observatory is of a propaganda village deliberately created by North Korea. Some say no one actually lives there, but through the telescope, I could see many people, including children. If you’re curious, this is definitely a place worth visiting.

An image downloaded to my own smartphone via QR code from the observatory’s high-precision telescope. The North Korean village was clearly visible.

The view through binoculars. North Korean slogans were displayed facing us, and a number of uninhabitable houses could be seen. There were no modern buildings. In the distance, we could see tall steel towers and the North Korean flag.

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.

Inside Starbucks. Not many seats, and in the middle of winter, it was quite crowded. North Korean territory can be seen in the back through the window. The seats in front of the window were the most popular, and people were enjoying the view outside while sipping their Starbucks drinks.

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

In fact, getting to Aegibong Peak Observatory on my own was a bit challenging. First, I took the Gimpo Gold Line (Gimpo Urban Railway) to the Janggi Station, then used Uber to reach the entrance of Aegibong Peace Ecological Park. The distance was about 18 km, and the fare was 17,300 won (around 1,700 yen).

On the way back, I called an Uber from the gate, but it never arrived. A nearby Korean staff member from the parking lot suggested, “Use Kakao Taxi.” When I explained that I didn’t have a Kakao account, they told me, “If you walk to the street, you’ll find a bus.” After walking about 2 km to the main road, I found a bus stop. The uphill climb was tough, but the downhill return was much easier.

According to my smartphone map, the bus from there would take me directly to Unyang Station on the Gimpo Gold Line. After waiting about 10 minutes at the bus stop, a small microbus arrived. I used my pre-charged T-money card to board, and after nearly an hour, the bus made its way through unfamiliar towns and fields, with the typical rough driving style of Korean bus drivers. I finally reached Unyang Station. From there, I transferred at Gimpo Airport Station and returned to central Seoul.

I walked about 2 km from the park gate to find the bus stop. In Japanese, it’s labeled as “Aegibong Iriguchi” (Aegibong Entrance), with several bus routes passing through. There were no digital information boards at the bus stop, so it’s recommended to use “NAVER Map” in Korea instead of Google Maps.

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

Most visitors to the Aegibong Observatory, including Starbucks, were Koreans, with a few foreigners. The majority arrived by car. Considering ticket purchases, payment methods, and transportation access, it can be difficult for those who aren’t familiar with Korea or international travel, or who don’t have language skills, to visit on their own. If you really want to go, it’s wise to use a tour that stops at the Aegibong Observatory or hire a local guide with round-trip transportation. Also, it takes about two and a half hours by train from Seoul Station to the Aegibong Observatory.

Aegibong is one of the places symbolizing the history and reality of the division between North and South Korea, being the site of intense battles during the Korean War at the 154 High Ground. It’s also known for its annual Christmas tree-shaped night lighting in winter, which was interrupted several times due to North Korean threats but resumed last year after a nine-year break.

So far, there doesn’t seem to have been any significant reaction from North Korea to the Starbucks. The well-known “Panmunjom” tours at the border between North and South Korea were suspended after the crossing incident last summer and have not yet resumed, with the tension still ongoing.

Enjoying a Starbucks drink, which symbolizes American capitalism, while looking out at North Korea—this is the paradox of visiting the observatory. At the same time, there are memorials for the fallen during the Korean War nearby. Despite this complex historical and current situation, just over a month after opening, the place has already become a popular tourist spot.

Illustrations of “Gimpo Aiko Peak Ecological Park” and “Welcome to Starbucks” displayed inside a Starbucks store. It depicted the view through binoculars.

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

Interview, text, and photos： Shikama Aki