[One Day 10,000 Steps One Day 1,000 Characters] Walking the DMZ in Paju, This Has Changed

The operation of the DMZ Peace Road theme route is changing. It is a walking route developed as part of efforts to transform the Demilitarized Zone into a peace zone. A themed course reflecting the unique history and culture of 11 local governments in the border area has been established. Starting in August, the application process has been simplified by changing the previous lottery system to a first-come, first-served basis. If payment is not made or companion identity verification is not completed by the application deadline, the application will be automatically canceled. The maximum number of applicants per person has been increased from 5 to 20. Within the remaining available slots, one person can apply for up to 20 people.

Visitors at Imjingak in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, are looking toward the North./Paju=Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

On the Paju course, you can experience the northernmost part of the DMZ. The route consists of a path where you can vividly experience the natural scenery and traces of division. Starting from the Imjingak tourist site, participants walk 1.4 km along the ecological trail, then take a bus to visit the Dora Observatory, which offers a view of the closest point of military confrontation between the North and South, and the gate in front of the dismantled guard post (GP). The Dora Mountain Peace Park course, which was not included in the first half of the year, has been added. Dora Mountain Peace Park was opened on June 13, 2008, to develop the area around Dora Station into a symbolic space of new reconciliation and peace on the Korean Peninsula, following the visit of the South Korea-US leaders (Kim Dae-jung - George W. Bush) to Dora Station and the Korean Peninsula peace declaration (February 20, 2002). In the park’s ecological pond, a life-sized replica of the Dobodari Bridge grape zone has been recreated to commemorate the friendly walk between the North and South Korean leaders on the Dobodari Bridge during the historic inter-Korean summit in 2018. Visitors can also experience a tile-making program.

Dorasan Peace Park
Photo by Paju City

The route operates five days a week until October (closed on Mondays and Thursdays), with two sessions per day accommodating a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 20 participants per session. Participants gather at the information desk on the first floor of the Imjingak Korean Peninsula Ecological Peace Comprehensive Tourism Center on the day of the tour, and carrying an ID is mandatory. The participation fee is 10,000 KRW, and participants receive a tumbler worth 10,000 KRW on the day of the tour. Citizens wishing to join can apply through the Durunubi website, selecting the date and time, then completing payment and identity verification to confirm participation. In addition to this route, Paju offers many nearby attractions and activities such as the Paju Imjingak Peace Gondola, DMZ Saengsaeng Nuri, Heyri Art Village, Gamaksan Suspension Bridge, Majang Lake Suspension Bridge, Hwangpo Sailboat, the Museum of Korean Modern and Contemporary History, and Paju Matgoeul (Paju Food Village).

Paju Route [Source=Paju City]

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