What's happened
On November 28, Starbucks opened a new location at Aegibong Peace Ecopark in Gimpo, South Korea, near the North Korean border. The café aims to attract tourists while symbolizing security amid rising tensions between the Koreas. Visitors must pass a military checkpoint to access the site, which offers views into North Korea.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The Japan Times reported that the Starbucks opening attracted hundreds of visitors, highlighting the café's unique location near the heavily militarized border. The Independent emphasized the symbolic significance of the café as a representation of security on the Korean Peninsula. Meanwhile, the NY Post noted that Gimpo's mayor sees the café as a way to change the area's 'dark and depressing' image, suggesting a shift in how the border region is perceived. AP News provided context on the military tensions, detailing North Korea's recent provocations, including balloon launches into South Korea. This multifaceted coverage illustrates the complex interplay between business, tourism, and geopolitics in this unique setting.
How we got here
The opening of the Starbucks is part of Gimpo's efforts to develop border areas as tourist destinations. This initiative comes amid ongoing tensions between North and South Korea, including threats from North Korea's leadership and recent military provocations.
More on these topics
-
Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington.
-
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia constituting the northern part of the Korean Peninsula.
-
The Korean War was a war between North Korea and South Korea. The war began on 25 June 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea following clashes along the border and insurrections in the south. The war unofficially ended on 27 July 1953 in an armistice.
-
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea.
-
Kim Jong-un is a North Korean politician who has been the supreme leader of North Korea since 2011 and chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea since 2012.
-
Seoul, officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. Seoul has a population of 9.7 million people, and forms the heart of the Seoul Capital Area with the surrounding Incheon metropolis and Gyeonggi province.