Goseong-gun in Gangwon Province announced Thursday that it will operate the Mount Kumgang Observatory Course — known as B Course — of the DMZ Peace Path during the peak heat season, which runs from Monday through Aug. 28.
This marks the first time any part of the DMZ Peace Path has remained open during the summer heat period.
The A Course, a walking-heavy route that operates outside the heat season, will be suspended for the 40-day period to prevent heat-related illness.
The Mount Kumgang Observatory Course is a signature peace-tourism route offering some of the closest views of Mount Kumgang and Haegumgang available from within South Korea. Led by professional guides, the tour gives visitors a chance to learn about the history of the peninsula's division and the meaning of peace. The route covers 7.2 kilometers in total, traveling from Tongil Observatory to the Mount Kumgang Observatory for a security tour overlooking North Korean territory before returning to the starting point.
During the heat season, B Course will run three times a week — on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays — with two sessions per day at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., each capped at 20 participants. However, a session may be canceled if fewer than eight people sign up or if security or weather conditions make the visit impractical.
Reservations must be made in advance through the Durunubi website, and participants are required to complete an identity verification process. Security management will be carried out in coordination with military units. The participation fee is 10,000 won ($7) per person.
Goseong-gun said the special summer operation is part of a broader effort to attract more family tourists and to develop tourism content drawing on the ecological, historical and cultural resources of the DMZ and border region, strengthening the area's competitiveness as a travel destination.
The DMZ Peace Path is a walking program established in 2019 to let the public directly experience the values of peace and national security through the natural, historical and cultural assets of the demilitarized zone's border areas.
"The Mount Kumgang Observatory Course is a special tourism program where the whole family can directly experience the values of peace and security together," said Park Gi-su, head of the county's tourism division. "We hope many tourists will visit Goseong during the summer vacation season and spend a meaningful time taking in the beautiful nature and the spirit of peace."
abc@heraldcorp.com
