ABC USA Films at Aegibong: Gimpo’s Peace Ecological Park Proven as Global Hotspot for International Media

ABC Current Affairs Program Films on Location, to Air in November

Renowned ABC News Anchor and Producer Visit, Capture Panoramic Views from Multiple Angles

ABC Producer: "Aegibong Symbolizes Korea's Division... Expecting a Lasting Impression"

Global media outlets continue to show strong interest in Aegibong Peace Ecological Park, which has emerged as a symbol of national and ethnic harmony beyond division. At the end of last year, as part of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's overseas media project, reporters from eight countries—including South Africa, India, and the Czech Republic—visited the site and conducted interviews. More recently, on May 8, a team from ABC USA visited Aegibong to film a current affairs and culture program. Notably, this shoot was not part of a domestic collaboration but was initiated by ABC, whose team was independently drawn to the park's unique landscape and specifically selected it as a filming location.

The filming team from ABC USA visited Aegibong on the 8th to shoot a current affairs and culture program. Provided by Gimpo City

The filming centered around Veterans Day in the United States, focusing on stories of military personnel serving at U.S. bases worldwide and the lives of the local communities surrounding them. This program is scheduled to be released in November on Hulu and Disney+, with select broadcast clips also to be uploaded to the ABC News YouTube channel.

On May 8, the ABC filming team—led by Bob Woodruff, a renowned war correspondent and anchor for ABC News—visited Aegibong. The team expressed their admiration for the panoramic views from Aegibong Observatory and devised various filming angles to capture them.

The ABC producer in charge of the project stated, "In this program, we also focused on South Korea’s relationship with North Korea. We visited Aegibong Peace Ecological Park Observatory to capture the unique juxtaposition of a Starbucks café—a symbol of capitalism—facing North Korea." He added, "The border scenery visible from the observatory is a powerful visual representation of South Korea’s unique reality. We expect it to leave a strong impression on overseas viewers and serve as a key element for the program."

This is not the first time that foreign media have shown such interest in Aegibong. In October last year, leading news outlets from countries including South Africa, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Türkiye, the Philippines, India, and Thailand highlighted the park’s distinctive strengths. They noted the park’s transformation from a dangerous and somber border tourist destination into a global cultural complex, expressing keen interest in this achievement. The international media lauded the park for overcoming its past associations with military and crisis, and for evolving into an open space where daily life and the world coexist. They praised it as "an international landmark where peace, ecology, and global culture converge beyond division," and predicted it would become a symbol of future-oriented international exchange.

In November last year, a delegation from the Vietnam Journalists Association—including CEOs and editors-in-chief from major Vietnamese media outlets such as Nandan Daily, Border Guard Newspaper, and Hung Yen Newspaper and Radio—visited Aegibong. In April last year, over 20 foreign influencers visited as part of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s ‘K-Culture’ event, coordinated by the Korea Foundation for International Broadcasting Exchange, with Aegibong as the first stop.

Yulia Song from Ukraine, who participated in the event, said, "It’s already a hotspot, but I am confident that over time it will become a place of profound significance." Saida from Uzbekistan remarked, "Aegibong is truly a mysterious place. I was especially impressed that it is the only location where you can actually see people in North Korea."

Meanwhile, the number of foreign tourists visiting Aegibong Peace Ecological Park this year increased by about 87% compared to the same period last year. The nationalities of visitors have also diversified, with tourists coming not only from Japan but also Taiwan, the United States, China, Hong Kong, and the Philippines, further establishing the park as a well-balanced global tourist destination.

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