Geotourism in DMZ

DMZ-Coexistence of War, Peace, and Ecosystem

 

Since their establishment, UNESCO has designated diverse spots as preserve area as part of protecting humanity’s invaluable heritages and natural environment. And Geopark, is one of the program. A tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of the place is called ‘geotourism’. In Korea, five regions-Chulwon, Yangu, Injae, Hwachun, and Gosung-located at the south of DMZ, the Korean Demilitarized Zone, have been appointed to ‘Geopark’ by UNESCO, which is called ‘Gangwon Peace Geopark’. Geotourism makes the tour program much more abundant, brings reasonable developments which revive the local community. However, there still remains a worry on destruction of well-preserved ecosystem by spread of tour programs.

    One possible effect of geotoursim in Gangwon Geopark is diversification of tour programs. While the previous DMZ tours have just included visiting of historical sites like battlefields or underground tunnels, geotourism provides tourists not only with visiting the sites, but also with traveling beautiful sceneries in the regions. For example, there is a big waterfall named ‘Zig-tang’ in Chulwon, Gangwondo, one of the regions in the park. An educated guide who leads the tour team explains the history or associated stories of the waterfall to the tourists. The day program includes trekking along the waterfall as well as experiencing the region’s traditional games and foods.

    Next, geotourism in Gangwon Geopark brings proper developments to the places which have been left behind and forgotten to people for a long time. Indeed, it benefits the local people economically, also. Ministry of Environment and National defense made an ecological park in DMZ, which is spotlighted by Korean and foreign visitors. The area’s ecosystem was terribly destroyed by severe battles during Korean War, and after the truce between north and south, the area has become an only site in the world where’s now going through a natural treatment by itself. Government put a number of telescopes at the bordering areas for tourists’ convenience and built several museums that exhibit diverse species living in DMZ. It enables tourists to learn more about the areas and to realize the importance of them.

    Yet, the main goal of geotourism is ‘making the site sustainable’, worries about desolation of the places still remain. Even though ecotourism is cautious to protect the environment, visiting of crowds of people could destroy the primitive ecosystem in DMZ. By the reason of long-term closure for civilians nearly a few decades, it is true that most of the places are very much vulnerable to visiting of humans. For instance, DMZ is a main habitat of varieties of endangered migratory birds. Therefore, if it isn’t preserved properly, drastic eco-problems will occur.

    Geotourism in Gangwon Geopark suggests a new vision of DMZ tour that initially stopped at the level of educating only the sense of security. Korea is the last divided-country on earth. DMZ, also, is the unique geographical figure of Korea. It means the possibility of the geotourism in the area is endless. If we strike to construct sustainable, future-oriented tour infrastructures more, we could make Gangwon Geopark as Korean representative geotourism course one day.

 

 

 

Gangwon Peace Geopark Homepage: http://dmzgeopark.com/