A New Path Opens to Experience the Ecological, Cultural, and Historical Resources of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) Border Region.

Starting from May 13th, the government will open 10 themed routes of the "DMZ Peace Trail." Those who wish to participate can pre-register online starting from April 30th through the "Peace Trail" website and the mobile walking app "Durunubi."

These themed routes are divided into 10 courses, each reflecting the unique characteristics of the DMZ border area, including Incheon Ganghwa, Gyeonggi Gimpo, Goyang, Paju, Yeoncheon, Gangwon Cheorwon, Hwacheon, Yanggu, Inje, and Goseong. For the protection of various wild animals and plants inhabiting the DMZ and the safety of participants, each course will involve traveling by vehicle and, at key sections, walking directly with the cooperation of military units. Participants can see the unique tourist resources of the border region and hear various stories hidden within them from guides or interpreters composed of local residents.

In particular, the 10 themed routes were named in detail, such as the "Ganghwa Peace Observation Post Course," "Kimpo Han River Estuary-Aegibong Course," "Hwacheon Baekmagoji Course," and "Paju Imjingak-Dorasan Course," based on the attractions that best represent the history and characteristics of each region in consultation with the local governments.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, together with the Ministry of Unification, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and the Ministry of Environment, will cooperate to establish an integrated management system for the "DMZ Peace Trail" to preserve the ecological value of the DMZ and promote the sustainable regional economic development of its vicinity.

Park Jong-taek, Director-General of the Tourism Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said, "We plan to actively cooperate with relevant ministries and border local governments to foster the DMZ border region as a world-class security and eco-experience tourism resource that can only be found in Korea. We expect that the opening of these themed routes will revitalize security tourism in the DMZ border region, leading to the recovery of the regional economy that has been stagnant due to population decline and development restrictions." [edaily Kim Myongsang reporter]