The Korean Veterans Association’s Goseong Unification Observatory announced on May 9 that it will open the Mount Kumgang Observatory, offering the closest view of North Korea’s Mount Kumgang from South Korea, to veterans’ groups and student organizations starting on Friday.
The Mount Kumgang Observatory is a forward military observation post located north of the Civilian Control Line in Goseong, Gangwon Province. Situated much farther north than the Unification Observatory, it provides views of Guseonbong, the last peak of Mount Kumgang, and Gamho Lake, known for the legend of The Fairy and the Woodcutter.
Visits are available daily at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., except Mondays and Thursdays. Each session can accommodate up to 80 participants. Veterans’ groups and student organizations wishing to visit must call the Unification Observatory to apply at least one week in advance. The general public can register through the Korea Tourism Organization’s Durunubi website under the Mount Kumgang Observatory Course.
Visiting groups must report to the entry office within the Goseong Unification Observatory, watch a security briefing video, and then board a group bus under escort guidance to travel to the Mount Kumgang Observatory for sightseeing.
A spokesperson for the Goseong Unification Observatory stated that visiting this area near the demilitarized zone (DMZ), typically off-limits to civilians, allows people to grasp the reality of division and the importance of national security. It also anticipates that this initiative will help boost the local economy.