By Sebin Choi and Hyunsu Yim
GIMPO, South Korea (Reuters) – The world’s final Chilly Struggle frontier now has a Starbucks cafe in South Korea the place clients can get a glimpse by the closely militarised border into the North, all whereas sipping a latte.
A whole lot confirmed up on Friday for the opening of the U.S. coffeehouse chain’s latest retailer in an observatory close to the town of Gimpo, round 50 km (31 miles) northwest of Seoul and near the Demilitarized Zone separating the 2 Koreas.
The DMZ has grow to be an unlikely draw for overseas and native vacationers, regardless of a spike in tensions on the Korean peninsula in recent times.
Guests should cross by a navy checkpoint on the way in which to the Starbucks outlet, though it’s in a lesser recognized and fewer militarised than extra in style vacationer spots alongside the border such because the Panmunjom truce village.
A river designated as “impartial waters” runs between the observatory and the border city of Kaepung within the North simply 1.4 km away. On a transparent day, North Korean villagers might be seen from the observatory by its telescopes.
The 2 Koreas are nonetheless technically at conflict after a three-year battle resulted in a 1953 armistice. A peace treaty has by no means been signed.
In current months, tensions have additionally grown over balloons of trash floated from North Korea, which Pyongyang says are a response to balloons carrying anti-regime leaflets despatched by activists within the South.
North Korea blew up inter-Korean roads and rail strains on its aspect of the border final month, whereas Seoul warned Pyongyang that any use of its nuclear weapons would spell the tip of the North Korean regime.
Baek Hea-soon, a 48-year-old Gimpo resident, arrived early on Friday to check out the brand new Starbucks outlet.
“I want I might share this tasty espresso with the folks in North Korea,” she mentioned.
North Korea has over current a long time suffered critical meals shortages, together with a famine within the Nineteen Nineties, typically exacerbated by pure disasters comparable to floods that harm harvests.
Starbucks, with its international recognition, might change the border space’s “darkish and miserable” picture, Gimpo Mayor Kim Byung-soo mentioned.
“This place might now grow to be an vital vacationer vacation spot for safety (and) peace that may be seen as younger, vibrant and heat, in addition to garnering international consideration,” Kim advised reporters.
Starbucks is ubiquitous throughout South Korea, with 1,980 shops as of the third quarter of 2024, in keeping with SCK Firm, which operates Starbucks within the nation by a licensing deal.
In 2021, Starbucks Corp (NASDAQ:) offered its stake in Starbucks Korea to Starbucks Espresso Korea Co, now often known as SCK Firm, and Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC.
