Starbucks Offers a Glimpse into Daily Life in North Korea with New Cafe Launch

For those curious about the daily lives of citizens in North Korea, Starbucks is offering coffee enthusiasts in South Korea a unique window into the world’s most secretive nation as they savor their favorite drinks.

Starbucks Coffee Korea Co has unveiled a new riverside cafe situated at an observatory tower in Gimpo city, South Korea, allowing coffee aficionados a chance to “observe” the everyday life of villagers in Gaepung county just across the border, as noted in an invitation from the city government. The observatory, formerly known as Hill 154, holds historical significance as a battleground between the two Koreas during the Korean War from 1950 to 1953.

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Visitors enjoy views from the observation deck at a Starbucks Coffee Korea Co location, overlooking North Korea’s Gaepung County, at the Aegibong Peace Ecopark in Gimpo, South Korea, on Friday, 29 November 2024. The newly opened 30-seat cafe allows guests in the south to get a rare glimpse into the world’s most isolated nation while savoring their favorite coffee.

Gaepung county mainly comprises residential areas and a few farms, although it may also include military structures due to its proximity to the border. The North Korean riverbank is situated over a mile (1.6 kilometers) away from the Starbucks, meaning visitors may need binoculars or long-range lenses to catch a glimpse of life in the neighboring country.

While North Korea occasionally showcases its military capabilities through missile tests and other orchestrated displays, the day-to-day lives of ordinary North Koreans remain largely unknown, piquing the curiosity of many about this isolated kingdom. Although Pyongyang plans to reopen its borders for general tourism in December for the first time since the onset of the pandemic, such tours are tightly controlled, with many foreign nationals banned from participating.

The new 30-seat cafe opened on Friday at the observatory tower in Aegibong Peace Ecopark, offering coffee lovers expansive views of the Jogang river that separates the two nations, as indicated in the invitation. This initiative is part of the city’s endeavors to promote Aegibong as a key tourist destination, capitalizing on its historical and strategic significance during the Korean War. Over the first ten months of this year, the park has drawn approximately 135,514 visitors, reflecting a 24% increase compared to the previous year.

Starbucks Korea, primarily owned by E-Mart, a division of Korea’s retail giant Shinsegae Group, selected this site for its historical relevance and picturesque views, according to a spokesperson for the Gimpo city government in correspondence with Bloomberg News. Remarkably, Starbucks stands as the sole food and beverage outlet in the area.

Despite its tranquil setting, even this ecological park is not immune to the underlying tensions existing between the two nations.

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Nearly a decade ago, South Korea demolished a Christmas tower at Aegibong, which North Korea described as a psychological warfare tactic. However, last year saw the reinstatement of a notable lighting display resembling a Christmas tree at Aegibong.

The cafe’s opening comes amidst rising tensions between the two Koreas. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has shown a strong desire to sever relations with the south, disregarding any possibilities for peaceful unification. Recently, Kim’s administration has destroyed segments of infrastructure connecting the countries and has released thousands of balloons filled with refuse and discarded cigarette butts. Pyongyang has further escalated tensions with South Korea and its allies by deploying troops to Russia to assist Moscow in its conflict in Ukraine.

© 2024 Bloomberg

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