Gwangju Peace Train Takes 340 Citizens to the DMZ

Spirit of May: "Unification Experience Train" Departs from Hyochon Station on the 19th
Second Run Following June; Fully Booked in Just Three Days

Kwangwan Ko, Deputy Mayor of Gwangju, attended the "2025 Gwangju Peace Train 1980 Train Departure Ceremony" held at Hyochon Station in Nam-gu on the morning of the 19th and took a commemorative photo with the passengers. Provided by Gwangju City

The "2025 Gwangju Peace Train 1980 Train," organized by the Gwangju City Government, departed from Hyochon Station at 6:30 a.m. on the 19th and headed toward the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.

This Peace Train carried 340 citizens and was designed to commemorate the spirit of Gwangju in May 1980 and provide a firsthand experience of the values of peace and unification. This special train, operating for the second time following its first run in June, closed applications just three days after recruitment began due to overwhelming public interest.

Prior to departure, a departure ceremony was held at Hyochon Station Plaza under the theme "Gwangju Has Arrived, Unification Is Coming." During the ceremony, Deputy Mayor Ko Kwangwan presented a "Peace Train Ticket"-designed to resemble a 1980s train ticket-to a citizen representative, marking a meaningful moment.

The Gwangju Peace Train travels from Hyochon Station to Imjingang Station as a special train, featuring citizen-participation cultural programs onboard such as a music cafe and theatrical performances themed around May 1980. Upon arrival at Imjingang Station, participants will tour security sites in the DMZ area of Paju.

Deputy Mayor Ko Kwangwan stated, "With participation from a wide range of age groups across generations, this will serve as a new opportunity to spread and reflect on Gwangju's spirit of democracy and peace."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.