Visitors flock to Paju, one of the closest cities to North Korea
- 6 years ago
The city of Paju captured the attention of the world when it hosted the historic inter-Korean summit.
Curious about the region that is just south of the demarcation line separating the two Koreas,... a growing number of visitors have been flocking to the area.
Our Park Hee-jun was there to turn the spotlight on the various tourist attractions. Paju city in Gyeonggi-do Province is close to North Korea, both in terms of distance and history.
And within the city limits is Imjingak-- a village built in 1972, a couple of decades after the Korean War armistice was agreed. Imjingak is only about 7 kilometers away from the Demarcation Line.
“This village stands as a symbol of hope-- hope for reunification between the two Koreas. And after the 2018 inter-Korean Summit was held nearby in Panmunjom, more and more people have been visiting the area."
"Following the summit, the number of visitors to some attractions has nearly tripled. It's a popular spot for those wishing to get a close-up understanding of the two Koreas' history, but it's also a great destination for couples and families to take some time off and relax."
"Especially the last day there was this meeting between these two presidents. So now I was feeling that it was a good time to know more about this situation, this political situation."
"Hopefully there will be more exchanges between the two Koreas through roads and railways, so that I can also visit Baekdusan Mountain."
And thanks to the soaring numbers of visitors,... restaurants and cafes in the area are also seeing better business.
"Sales are 2 to 2-and-half times higher than around a week ago. Many people are visiting Imjingak out of curiosity from the meeting between the two Koreas."
At the village, visitors can take a trip back through history,... to the war that separated South and North.
It's one of the world's most heavily guarded borders, but the atmosphere is calm and quiet.
To boost tourism in the region,... the government plans to create more attractions and increase the city's annual festivals.
And with hopes for peace and reunification in the air,... Paju could have even more visitors in the future.
Park Hee-jun, Arirang News, Paju
Curious about the region that is just south of the demarcation line separating the two Koreas,... a growing number of visitors have been flocking to the area.
Our Park Hee-jun was there to turn the spotlight on the various tourist attractions. Paju city in Gyeonggi-do Province is close to North Korea, both in terms of distance and history.
And within the city limits is Imjingak-- a village built in 1972, a couple of decades after the Korean War armistice was agreed. Imjingak is only about 7 kilometers away from the Demarcation Line.
“This village stands as a symbol of hope-- hope for reunification between the two Koreas. And after the 2018 inter-Korean Summit was held nearby in Panmunjom, more and more people have been visiting the area."
"Following the summit, the number of visitors to some attractions has nearly tripled. It's a popular spot for those wishing to get a close-up understanding of the two Koreas' history, but it's also a great destination for couples and families to take some time off and relax."
"Especially the last day there was this meeting between these two presidents. So now I was feeling that it was a good time to know more about this situation, this political situation."
"Hopefully there will be more exchanges between the two Koreas through roads and railways, so that I can also visit Baekdusan Mountain."
And thanks to the soaring numbers of visitors,... restaurants and cafes in the area are also seeing better business.
"Sales are 2 to 2-and-half times higher than around a week ago. Many people are visiting Imjingak out of curiosity from the meeting between the two Koreas."
At the village, visitors can take a trip back through history,... to the war that separated South and North.
It's one of the world's most heavily guarded borders, but the atmosphere is calm and quiet.
To boost tourism in the region,... the government plans to create more attractions and increase the city's annual festivals.
And with hopes for peace and reunification in the air,... Paju could have even more visitors in the future.
Park Hee-jun, Arirang News, Paju