Italian volunteers visit Ganghwa Peace Observatory near North Korean border

Two Italian volunteers participating in the GMG 2027 program in Seoul visited the Ganghwa Peace Observatory, one of the closest points to the North Korean border. The visit highlighted the physical and emotional divide between the two Koreas.

At the observatory, the volunteers observed the river separating the two nations, noting the stark contrast between the proximity of the land and the impossibility of crossing the border. They visited an altar dedicated to the history of families separated by the war, reflecting on the stories of parents, siblings, and children who were unable to reunite.

The experience underscored the tension between the border as a site of historical trauma and its current appearance as a tourist attraction where visitors use binoculars to view North Korean buildings and fields from a distance.