Starbucks Gimpo Aegibong Ecological Park store. (Image courtesy of Starbucks Korea)
GIMPO, July 8 (Korea Bizwire) – A Starbucks nestled just 1.4 kilometers from the North Korean border is emerging as one of South Korea’s most unlikely tourist hotspots, drawing over 120,000 customers in just seven months.
The store, located inside Aegibong Peace Ecological Park in Gimpo, opened on November 29, 2024, and has since attracted both domestic and international visitors, eager to sip coffee with a rare view of Kaepung County in North Korea’s Hwanghae Province—a vista that includes North Korean farmland visible across the river delta where the Han and Imjin Rivers converge into the Yellow Sea.
The park sits inside a restricted civilian control zone, requiring visitors to reserve a time slot and pass through military checkpoints via shuttle bus, adding an air of exclusivity to the journey. That hasn’t stopped thousands from making the trip—particularly since word spread of the so-called “North Korea-view Starbucks.”
Starbucks Gimpo Aegibong Ecological Park store . (Image courtesy of Starbucks Korea)
Major international outlets including CNN, AP, and Reuters have spotlighted the shop’s geopolitical novelty, fueling interest. Since January, Aegibong Peace Park has recorded over 129,000 visitors, more than double the monthly average from the previous year. Foreign tourism has spiked as well, with average monthly visitors rising from 1,300 in 2023 to over 3,300 in 2025.
“It’s my first time in Korea, and I came here because I heard you could actually see North Korea,” said one Swiss tourist. “I even saw farmers working in the fields through a telescope—it was a fascinating experience.”
Families with children and foreign tour groups are common sights at the store, which is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., shorter than standard Starbucks hours due to park access restrictions. On weekends, the café draws around 1,000 visitors per day, and its food sales account for 30% more than average Starbucks outlets, thanks to family-oriented visitors.
“In a travel culture that values meaningful and experiential destinations, our Aegibong store offers more than just coffee—it’s part of a memorable journey,” said Kim Eun-joo, Gimpo regional manager at Starbucks Korea.
With demand surging and international curiosity piqued, the Aegibong Starbucks has transformed a quiet ecological zone into a symbolic and commercial crossroads—where global branding meets geopolitical proximity.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
