Ganghwa Peace Observatory is located in the township of Yangsa-myeon in Incheon's Ganghwa-gun County. (Korea.net DB)
By Kang Gahui
A fall event next month around the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a symbol of the division of the Korean Peninsula, will transform select regions into spaces for nature, life and healing.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Aug. 24 announced its hosting of the inaugural DMZ Peace Festa in collaboration with the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), Incheon Metropolitan City and Gangwon State, the government of Gangwon-do Province.
The event will include interactive experiences that highlights the unique traits of each region by linking the tourism resources of DMZ areas under three themes: nature, life, and reflection and healing (wellness).
The festival will start from Sept. 12–13 in Incheon's Ganghwa-gun County before moving to Cheorwon-gun County, Gangwon-do, from Sept. 26–27.
The theme for the Ganghwa-gun program is "An Island Where Time Stands Still: A Walk for Peace." The experiences will include sunrise meditation and yoga at Hwagae Observatory, listening to sounds while walking along the DMZ barbed-wire fence trail and making non-alcoholic cocktails that reinterpret the lives of displaced people.
The theme of the event in Cheorwon-gun is "A Peaceful Land Brimming with Life," featuring street performances incorporating media art, a disco event, backpacking trips centered around Soisan Mountain and the BMW Riding Tour, which will bring participants to main security and military sites.
More information on the schedules and how to participate in each region is on VisitKorea, the KTO's official website (korean.visitkorea.or.kr).
"We hope that the festival is an opportunity for the DMZ, once a symbol of division and suffering, to turn into a space for nature, life and healing," a ministry source said. "We hope that you will take a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life this fall to experience a special journey in the DMZ to reflect on nature, life and the self."
kgh89@korea.kr
