There’s a new Starbucks in Gimpo, South Korea that is currently trending! This unique Starbucks has a view of North Korea. The store has been open since November 29, 2024 but it is still super popular coffee house among tourists. People call it the “North Korea-view Starbucks” and the “cafe where you can Siren Order from North Korea.” Isn’t that cool?
To visit the cafe, you must go through a military checkpoint and show your identification. There’s also a limit on number of daily visitors allowed in the store which is 2,000. It is a small 30-seat cafe with seating that faces large windows.
Where is this unique Starbucks in Korea?
The Starbucks is on the second floor of an observation deck and is close to the North Korean border. The North Korea’s Kaepung County is just 1.4 kilometers away from the store in the Aegibong Peace Ecopark of Hwanghae Province.
It is the only Starbucks inside the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) in South Korea and has several restrictions on visitors.
What’s the “North Korea-view” in this Starbucks?
The Starbucks in DMZ is so close to North Korea that you can see clearly across the country without even needing magnifying lens or binoculars. You can see farms, landscapes, and North Koreans going about their daily lives. Even the buildings used for regime propaganda in Kaepung are visible to the naked eye.
The store overlooks North Korea’s Songaksan mountain and a nearby village in Kaephung county. If the skies are clear, you can even see the peak of Songak Mountain in Kaesong.
The historical and political significance of this Starbucks
This Starbucks at Aegibong Peace Ecological Park is uniquely positioned at symbolic crossroads of history, politics, and commercial enterprise. It not only offers coffee but it is coffee with a view of North Korea, depicting the tension and division of the Korean Peninsula.
Aegibong Hill itself is steeped in historical significance. In 1954, shortly after the Korean War, a soldier symbolically hung a lightbulb on a pine tree at Aegibong as a gesture of peace. However, by 1971, the hill’s symbolism had shifted significantly when an 18-meter steel tower was constructed there as part of psychological warfare efforts against North Korea. The site became a powerful visual reminder of division, hope, and propaganda. When the Aegibong Peace Ecological Park was made in July 2021, the site was redefined as a location for peace and ecological awareness.
With the presence of Starbucks, a global symbol of capitalism, there has been a significant change in visitors. In 2024 alone, the park welcomed 190,000 visitors, marking a remarkable 45% increase over the previous year. The presence of Starbucks specifically contributed to this surge, drawing monthly visitation numbers exceeding 36,000 since its opening. Impressively, more than 500,000 tourists visited in February alone, reflecting the site’s growing popularity. Gimpo officials now predict annual visitors will reach 400,000 starting this year, underscoring Starbucks’ role in reshaping tourism dynamics.
Yet, beyond these numbers is a deeper reflection of visitors’ experiences. Many tourists like the unique juxtaposition offered by the Starbucks—the comfort and familiarity of a global brand directly across from North Korea, a stark representation of ideological division.
“A chance to experience the reality of the North-South divide while enjoying Starbucks, a symbol of capitalism”
– cafe visitor on Naver
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