Starbucks opens cafe with view of North Korea

The cafe opened on November 29 at Aegibong Peace Park (Gimpo City, South Korea), 32 km north of Seoul.

From the rooftop, visitors can see across the Han River and the North Korean town of Kaephung, just over 1 km away.

When the weather is clear, visitors can use telescopes to observe the daily life of North Korean people.

Curious tourists visit Starbucks to see the sights of North Korea. (Photo: AP, Reuters)

The Korean War was halted by an armistice in 1953, but never formally ended.

The armistice divided the Korean Peninsula into two parts along the 38th parallel, separated by a 4-km wide DMZ. Both South and North Korea maintain fortifications and guard posts along the DMZ.

Aegibong Peace Park is located on Hill 154, where fierce fighting took place during the Korean War.

Because of its proximity to the DMZ, visitors to the park must submit to a background check by the South Korean military.

Kaephung town of North Korea. (Photo: Reuters)

According to the Mayor of Gimpo, bringing Starbucks to the DMZ is a manifestation of South Korea's strength, demonstrating "solid security on the Korean Peninsula."

The cafe opens at a time of heightened tensions between the two Koreas. Earlier this year, Pyongyang began launching balloons filled with trash and waste southward over Gimpo and Seoul, in response to South Korea sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the North.

North Korea later announced that artillery units along the border had been put on “fire ready” status. It also blew up roads leading to South Korea last month.

(Source: Tien Phong)

Link: https://tienphong.vn/starbucks-mo-quan-cafe-ngam-canh-trieu-tien-post1696499.tpo

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