Essential Security Tourism Highlights Tour

A curated security tourism course connecting Hwacheon-gun, Yanggu-gun, and Goseong-gun, where you can look out toward North Korea, immerse yourself in pristine nature, and travel along a rainbow coastal road.

Along the way

1. 1

   Chilseong Observatory

   칠성전망대

   Built in 1991, Chilseong Observatory was remodeled with modern sensibilities and reopened as a security tourism attraction on April 19, 2013, after its structure and interior visitor facilities became aged and partially damaged over 21 years. Visitors must bring their ID on the day of the visit, fill out an application form at the Chilseong Observatory Information Center, and depart together accompanied by an escort. From Chilseong Observatory, you can see the Geumseongcheon Stream—the only stream in South Korea that flows north toward North Korea before entering the Peace Dam—as well as North Korea's beautiful mountains and fields, and DMZ wildlife.MoreLess

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2. 2

   Haesan Observatory

   해산전망대

   Haesan, meaning 'mountain where the sun rises,' is a beautiful mountain standing 1,194 meters above sea level. It is also called Ilsan (Sun Mountain) or Tiger Mountain. Because it was located in the Civilian Control Zone, public access was once restricted, but now anyone can visit. From Haesan Observatory on the mountain, you can take in a panoramic view of Paroho Lake located right nearby.MoreLess

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3. 3

   Hwacheon Market (3rd, 8th)

   화천시장 (3, 8일)

   Hwacheon Market is a five-day market held on dates ending in 3 and 8 of each month. It bustles with stalls selling pollution-free agricultural and marine products produced in clean regional areas, wild edible greens, clothing, and general merchandise. It is popular among local residents as goods can be purchased at affordable prices.MoreLess

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4. 4

   Dutayeon Falls (Gangwon Peace Area National Geopark)

   두타연 (강원평화지역 국가지질공원)

   Located in the Civilian Control Zone, visitors can make reservations in advance through the Yanggu Security Tourism integrated booking website or register on-site on the day of the visit. After filling out an entry application and pledge form at the Mt. Geumgangsan Information Center on the day of the visit and wearing a GPS device, visitors depart on the hour under guidance. The ecological trail tour covers Dutayeon Parking Lot -> Ecological Trail -> Dutayeon Parking Lot for about one hour, and visitors must return at the designated time. Dutayeon is a waterfall and plunge pool formed when the meandering loop of the Sataecheon Stream, a tributary of the Suipcheon Stream, was cut off during its incised meandering through the mountainous region. A plunge pool refers to a deep, round hollow carved beneath a waterfall, formed as plunging water mixed with gravel grinds down the rock at the base of the falls (abrasion) or tears away rock through hydraulic pressure (cavitation). The name Dutayeon originates from a temple named Dutasa that once stood in the vicinity.MoreLess

   

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5. 5
   Goseong Unification Observatory

   고성 통일전망타워

   Standing at the Unification Observatory 70 meters above sea level where the Military Demarcation Line meets the Southern Limit Line, you can see Guseonbong Peak and Haegeumgang of Mount Geumgangsan up close, and on clear days, Oknyeobong, Chaehabong, and Ilchulbong peaks. The front-line guard posts confronting each other across the DMZ barbed-wire fence below offer a tangible sense of the tension between the two Koreas. As a prime attraction in Goseong visited by over 1.5 million tourists annually, it features religious facilities such as the Statue of the Virgin Mary, the Maitreya Buddha, and the Advance Iron Tower for displaced people and those longing for reunification, alongside security education exhibits including armored vehicles, tanks, and aircraft. Below, you can also see the Donghae Line Inter-Korean Highway, which opened in December 2004 for overland tourism to Mount Geumgangsan.MoreLess

   

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6. 6

   Ayajin Beach

   아야진해변

   Located 6 km north of Sokcho and about 500 meters off National Route 7, this beach attracts more summer vacationers each year thanks to its picturesque surroundings. With unique rock formations, crystal-clear waters, and clean white sands, it is ideal for family getaways. The sandy beach is 600 meters long and 50 meters wide, with water depths ranging from 1.5 to 2 meters within 30 meters from the shore. More and more visitors are also making their way here to buy fresh squid at affordable prices early in the morning.MoreLess

   

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