South Korea will reopen the Korea-DPRK border "Peace Road in the Demilitarized Zone" this month

Ask AI · What historical and ecological secrets can a walking experience in the Demilitarized Zone reveal?

Xinhua News Agency Beijing, April 1 — The South Korean government announced on April 1 that all 12 hiking routes near the inter-Korean Demilitarized Zone, themed around peace, will be reopened this month.

On June 14, 2019, tourists and some foreign media reporters tour the “Peace Road in the Demilitarized Zone” in Goseong County, South Korea. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Jingqiang

Yonhap News Agency quoted a report from South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism stating that these 12 hiking routes, collectively called the “Peace Road in the Demilitarized Zone,” will be open from April 17 to November 30, but operations will be suspended in July and August due to high summer temperatures.

These trails are located in border areas of Incheon, Gyeonggi Province, and Gangwon Province in South Korea. They first opened in April 2019, giving South Koreans the opportunity to explore the ecological, cultural, and historical significance of the region. Due to fluctuating circumstances, three hiking routes that include parts of the Demilitarized Zone in Paju, Cheorwon, and Goseong have been closed to the public since April 2024.

According to the Korean War Armistice Agreement, the warring parties regard the de facto control line near the 38th parallel north as the military demarcation line, which is 240 kilometers long east to west, with a 2-kilometer buffer zone on each side.

The South Korean government plans to increase the number of operational days and participant numbers after the hiking routes are reopened this year. Participation is limited to South Korean citizens, who can register via official websites and mobile apps. The fee is 10k won per person (approximately 45.7 RMB). (Yang Shuyi)

Source: Xinhua News Agency