Starbucks To Open New Store Near The Military Demarcation Line Between North And South Korea
Starbucks Korea is reportedly set to open a new store just 1.4 kilometers away from North Korea.
According to reports, the outlet will open this month on the second floor of the observatory at Aegibong Peace Ecopark in Gimpo.
The outlet’s location is significant, as the peak of Aegibong offers a direct view of North Korea’s Kaepung County and Songaksan. The eco-park was inaugurated in 2021 and has since attracted a huge tourist footfall every year.
The park features an observatory, a bell, a swing bridge, and an outdoor stage. The Peace Bell is one of the most symbolic elements of the park as it is built out of empty cartridges from war sites and rusty wires from the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) fences. The new Starbucks store is expected to add some more charm to this park and attract high number of customers, despite its smaller interior.
According to Gimpo City officials, the city wanted a Starbucks store in the park in the hopes of turning it into “a global tourist attraction.” In 2023, the park recorded a footfall of almost 140,000 tourists, and with this new café, it’s only expected to go up.
But the region of Aegibong lies beyond the Civilian Control Line, a line designated to restrict public access in areas that are close to the Military Demarcation Line. To access such areas, civilians require the legal protection of the military, and hence, all visitors will have to go through an inspection by the Korean Marine Corps. Gimpo is in consultation with the corps, after which the city is expected to increase the frequency of shuttle buses to facilitate more tourists.
