![North Korean soldiers gather around self-propelled artillery positions along the coastal border area of Gaepung County, Hwanghae Province, as seen from the Aegibong Observatory in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, on Oct. 26. [Yonhap]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/11/08/news-p.v1.20261108.c5ba382efc5147809ad6114589fb958d_P1.png)
More than 13,000 people visited Aegibong Peace Ecological Park in Wolgot-myeon, Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, over the past 10 days, drawn by the chance to spot North Korean self-propelled artillery through telescopes and binoculars.
The North Korean artillery pieces are positioned along a coastal area roughly 1.5 kilometers from the Aegibong Observatory. Photos of the guns began circulating last month, sparking wide public attention.
According to Gimpo city, 13,243 visitors came to the park between Oct. 26 and Wednesday — a 7.5 percent increase from the 12,321 visitors recorded during the same period last year.
Weekday attendance was particularly notable during the period, with daily visitor counts reaching 1,000 to 1,200. On some days, the number was up as much as 35 percent compared with the same day a year earlier.
Weekend visitors — counted over Oct. 31 and Monday — totaled 4,200, down nearly 10 percent from the same weekend last year. City officials attributed the dip to a cap on additional entries imposed to manage crowd levels.
The park limits the number of people on the grounds at any one time to 500 for visitor safety. When visitors linger, new entrants are turned away until capacity allows.
The artillery pieces are close enough to be seen with a telescope. The military estimates they are older 122-millimeter self-propelled guns with a range of 15 to 24 kilometers. However, Gimpo city officials said North Korean troops have recently covered the guns with camouflage netting, making them difficult to identify.
As word spread and visitor numbers surged, Gimpo city has been gradually reducing the number of advance reservations available. Since Wednesday, the hourly booking limit has been cut to 200 people — 100 individual visitors and 100 in group bookings.
"Aegibong Peace Ecological Park was created to confront the reality of the division of the Korean Peninsula and reflect on the value of peace," a Gimpo city official said. "Even if people come out of simple curiosity, we hope the visit becomes an opportunity to develop an interest in peace and a deeper understanding of the hardships faced by residents in the area."
bbo@heraldcorp.com
