Looking North

북녘을 바라보며

A visitor looks at North Korea through a telescope from Odusan Unification Observatory (February 2025).

A visitor looks at North Korea from the Odusan Unification Observatory in Paju City (February 2025).

Dozens of observatories line the southern side of the impassable inter-Korean border, allowing everyone to take a peek over the Demilitarized Zone at the hermit kingdom of the North.

Working on K-Scar often leads me to visit these observation posts. They range from simple hilltop telescopes to military facilities with severely restricted access to huge tourist complexes with trendy cafés, souvenir stores and parking lots for dozens of coachloads of tourists.

One might be persuaded that this is “peace education,” as those who run these observatories keep repeating. But there’s always an element of voyeurism in observing, through a telephoto lens or telescope and from the comfort and freedom of the South, dozens of North Korean peasants working the land with their hands under lines of red flags and slogans glorifying the Kim dynasty.

In the observatories, I met displaced North Koreans who have come to see their lost homeland from afar, veterans from the Korean War, schoolchildren on field trips, families, religious groups and many foreign tourists. Pain of divided families, anti-communist sentiment, thirst for thrills, or simple curiosity: everyone has their own reason for going to the border. And everyone has their own way of observing North Korea.

I found that these differences in attitude illustrate quite well all the feelings generated by the Division of Korea, from extreme absurdity to extreme sadness, and from indifference to morbid curiosity.

Kindergarten children on a field trip wait in line to watch North Korea through a telescope at Odusan Observatory's rooftop (June 2025).

Odusan Unification Observatory, Paju City (June 2025).

Four young men take pictures of themselves in front of North Korea at Yeonmijeong Pavilion, in Ganghwa Island (September 2025).

Yeonmijeong Pavilion, Ganghwa Island (September 2025).

People look at North Korea from the Manghyangdae Observatory in Gyodong Island (September 2025).

Manghyangdae Observatory, Gyodong Island (September 2025).

A woman carrying a stuffed toy watches North Korea through a telescope at Odusan Unification Observatory in Paju City (February 2025).

Odusan Unification Observatory (February 2025).

The Manghyangdae, litteraly the "Homesick's Hill", from where North Korea is visible just 2.6 km across the Han River Estuary (May 2025).

Manghyangdae Observatory, Gyodong Island (May 2025).

A family takes a selfie using a selfie stick at Hwagaesan Observatory, in Gyodong Island.

Hwagaesan Observatory, Gyodong Island (May 2025).

A couple observes North Korea from the Ganghwa Observatory (May 2025).

Ganghwa Peace Observatory (May 2025).

A man helps an elderly woman to look at North Korea through a telescope at an observatory in Gyodong Island (May 2025).

Manghyangdae Observatory, Gyodong Island (May 2025).

A couple of tourists take a selfie in front of North Korea at Odusan Unification Observatory (June 2025).

Odusan Unification Observatory, Paju City (June 2025).

A Chinese tourist observes North Korea through a telescope at the Jogang Observatory in Gimpo City (April 2025).

Jogang Observatory, Gimpo City (April 2025).

A visitor takes a picture of her coffee in front of North Korea at Aegibong Observatory's Starbucks Cafe (April 2025).

Starbucks Cafe at Jogang Observatory, Gimpo City (April 2025).

A South Korean Soldier from the United Nations Command Security Battalion observes the North Korean landscape from the Joint Security Area (November 2005).

Joint Security Area, Panmunjom (November 2005).

South Korean coast guards monitor the activity of Chinese and unflagged fishing vessels in North Korean waters off Yeonpyeong (March 2025).

Manghyang Observation Deck, Yeonpyeong Island (March 2025).

A Swiss officer shows the Blue Footbridge linking the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission's Swiss and Swedish Camp to the Joint Security Area in Panmunjom (October 2024).

Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission’s Swiss and Swedish Camp, Panmunjom (October 2024).

A visitor watches Mt. Kumgang through a telescope at Goseong Observatory (May 2025).

Goseong Unification Tower (May 2025).

A man looks at North Korea from the Manghyangdae Observatory in Gyodong Island (September 2025).

Manghyangdae Observatory, Gyodong Island (September 2025).

A couple watches the Sea of Japan and the coast of North Korea from the Goseong Observatory (November 2025).

Goseong Unification Tower (November 2024).

People look at North Korea from the Ganghwa Peace Observatory (May 2025).

Ganghwa Peace Observatory, Incheon City (April 2025).

A couple watches the North Korean landscape from Daon Forest Cafe's lounge in Paju (April 2025).

Daonsoop Cafe, Paju City (April 2025).

People look at North Korea from the Ganghwa Peace Observatory (May 2025).

Ganghwa Peace Observatory, Incheon City (April 2025).

A family watches North Korea from the Manghyangdae Observatory in Gyodong Island (October 2025).

Manghyangdae Observatory, Gyodong Island (October 2025).

A couple watches North Korea from the Odusan Observatory

Odusan Unification Observatory, Paju City (February 2025).

A tourist watches North Korea through a telescope from Odusan Unification Observatory in Paju, South Korea

Odusan Unification Observatory, Paju City (June 2025).

People watch North Korea through a telescope at Odusan Observatory (September 2024).

Odusan Unification Observatory, Paju City (September 2024).

People watch North Korea through a telescope at Odusan Observatory (April 2023).

Odusan Unification Observatory, Paju City (April 2023).

A visitor takes a picture of a South Korean flag in the shape of a windmill in front of the North Korean bank of the Han River at Odusan Observatory.

Odusan Unification Observatory, Paju City (September 2024).

Visitors take a nap at the Odusan Observatory Café overlooking the Imjin River and North Korea (September 2024).

Odusan Unification Observatory, Paju City (September 2024).

Tourists watch North Korea from the Dorasan Observatory (March 2023).

Dora Observatory, Paju City (March 2023).

People look at North Korea from the Odusan Observatory (April 2025).

Odusan Unification Observatory, Paju City (April 2025).

A visitor looks at North Korea, on the other bank of the Han River, through a telescope at the Aegibong observatory (February 2024).

Jogang Observatory, Gimpo City (March 2024).

A tour guide gives explanations in the amphitheatre of the Aegibong Observatory facing the North Korean bank of the Han River Estuary (April 2025).

Jogang Observatory, Gimpo City (April 2025).

People look at North Korea from the Goseong Observatory (May 2025).

Goseong Unification Tower (May 2025).

People look at North Korea throug telescopes at an observatory in Gyodong Island (May 2025).

Manghyangdae Observatory, Gyodong Island (May 2025).

This post was last updated on : April 24, 2026.

An old tank transformed into a work of art at the Hwacheon Art Peace Park (February 2025).

Previous : Border Subversion

A crow sits on a South Korean border fence.

Next : Introduction

A North Korean watch tower overlooks a South Korean one across the border near Paju (February 2025).

Understand

Anti-infiltrator fences and CCTV cameras along a coastal path in the City of Sokcho.

Themes

Old map of the Korean DMZ

Places

Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.