Security Tourism

[Anchor Lead]

The Civilian Control Line was once a place civilians could not enter without military authorization. But the provincial government of Gyeonggi-do recently won positive reactions from the public after developing portions of the area into what are being called “security tourism” destinations.

[Pkg]

This is an observatory set up inside Imjingak Pavilion located in Paju, Gyeonggi-do Province near the border. Visitors are busy taking pictures with North Korea in the background. It used to be a restricted area but the Gyeonggi-do provincial government worked out a deal with the Ministry of National Defense to lift the access ban. Visitors have been paying admission since March, but it's become a hot tourist spot averaging about 600 visitors a day. That translates to roughly 30,000 visitors in just two months.

[Soundbite] Choi Jae-hyeon(Gyeonggi-do Prov. Resident) : "As a Korean, I think it's great that we can freely come to this historical site. I wish the government would be more considerate in that respect."

The location has also become popular among those who had fled from their homes in North Korea during the Korean War.

[Soundbite] Jo Cheon-bok(Displaced from Home) : "Whenever I miss home, I come here to gain peace of mind. I will try to come more often."

A hiking trail along the Imjingang River is also drawing many people since it was opened to the public in January of last year. It saw only about a hundred visitors in the first month since its opening, but the number of visitors has now grown to 1,500 a month.

[Soundbite] Wu Dong-guk(Gyeonggi Tourism Organization) : "In order to promote tourism inside the CCL, we will create tourism programs that integrate history, culture, the ecosystem, and the environment."

As access to the restricted Civilian Control Line has become freer, so-called security tourism has become a more valuable asset to the region.