Customers at THIS Starbucks can sip coffee, enjoy view of North Korean village from a distance, it is...

Coffee lovers in South Korea can now enjoy their beverages while taking in a view of North Korea, thanks to a new Starbucks located at Aegibong Peace Ecopark, near the border. The observatory, less than a mile from North Korean territory, overlooks Songaksan mountain and a quiet village in Kaephung county.

To visit the café, customers must pass a military checkpoint. At its opening on Friday, about 40 people, including some foreigners, gathered at the site, where tables and windows are positioned to face North Korea.

The city of Gimpo, which hosted the Starbucks, claimed the initiative is part of its efforts to transform border facilities into tourist destinations. Officials said the café symbolizes the strong security of the Korean Peninsula, highlighted by the presence of a global capitalist brand near the heavily fortified border.

The observatory is a key attraction at Aegibong Peace Ecopark, which was built on a hill that saw intense battles during the Korean War (1950-53). The park also features gardens, exhibition halls, a war memorial, and conference facilities.

Border cities like Gimpo and Paju are increasingly developing their sites for tourism, even as tensions between North and South Korea rise. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has issued threats and engaged in psychological warfare, including sending trash-filled balloons and disrupting GPS signals in South Korea.

Kaephung county, visible from the Starbucks, is believed to be a launch site for these balloons. South Korea’s military reported that dozens more balloons were sent overnight, with some debris landing near Seoul and Gyeonggi province.