Starbucks opens cafe overlooking 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 will have a view 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 lives 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 officially 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.

North Korea's Kaephung town. (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 on the Korean Peninsula. 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 then 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

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/starbucks-mo-quan-cafe-ngam-canh-trieu-tien-ar910775.html