This Starbucks Location Gives Customers A View Of North Korea

Starbucks, the global coffee empire that it is, has locations all across the world. It may have over 17,000 storefronts in the United States, including the world's largest Starbucks in Chicago, but more and more locations are popping up on other parts of the globe. There are now almost 2,000 storefronts in South Korea alone, which is a whole lot more than South Korea's reclusive neighbor can say. One of South Korea's newest Starbucks locations gives customers a rare glimpse into North Korea, making it just as (if not more) interesting as some of the most unique Starbucks locations across the U.S.

The Starbucks is located about 31 miles north-west of Seoul in a border town named Gimpo, more specifically at Aegibong Peace Ecopark. The coffee shop is located on the top floor of an observation tower, offering customers a warm cup of java and a fairly uninhibited view of North Korea. This storefront is the only Starbucks location located near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and requires visitors to show identification before passing through a military checkpoint. Due to the strict nature of the area, the cafe has a small seating area with only 30 seats and is limited to 2,000 visitors per day.

The new Starbucks in Aegibong Peace Ecopark opened in November 2024 to crowds eager for a glimpse of North Korea. The outdoor standing area offers visitors a chance to use the built-in binocular viewfinders for a peak across the Han River into North Korea's Songaksan mountains and the border village of Kaepung, which is less than half a mile away. Eager tourists can order a standard caramel macchiato or flat white while grabbing a table by the large windows and hoping to spot a glimpse of villagers or wildlife across the border. Or grab one of the menu items exclusive to South Korean Starbucks that we wish we had in the U.S. and do the same.

Aegibong Peace Ecopark and the unique Starbucks location are the first few steps in the town of Gimpo's plan to convert the area into a hotspot for tourists. The ecopark states on its website that it hopes the location turns into "an international landmark symbolizing world peace," shedding light on the struggles between the neighboring countries. The presence of the one-of-a-kind Starbucks is predicted to significantly increase the number of visitors to Gimpo, rivaling standard tours of the DMZ by offering visitors a bird's eye view of North Korea and a chai tea latte at the same time.