Imjingak & the DMZ

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The last point civilians can reach before the line that splits the peninsula, less than an hour from Seoul.

At Imjingak the railway simply stops: a bullet-riddled steam locomotive sits on a severed track, and behind it the Freedom Bridge crosses the Imjin River, where prisoners of war came home in 1953. The barbed wire is covered with ribbons and handwritten letters from separated families, and many come here at Lunar New Year to bow towards home in the north. From the observatory, binoculars point straight across. The paradox is that seven decades of empty buffer zone have made an accidental nature reserve, where red-crowned cranes winter.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Imjingak & the DMZ?

April–June and September–November

How much does it cost to visit Imjingak & the DMZ?

Free at Imjingak (DMZ tours priced separately)

How long do you need at Imjingak & the DMZ?

Half a day

What are the opening hours of Imjingak & the DMZ?

Pyeonghwa-Nuri park is open all day and free to enter; DMZ tours and the sites inside the controlled zone must be booked in advance and run to fixed departure times

Did you know

About 7 km from the military demarcation line; civilians need no permit.
Some 12,773 prisoners of war returned across the Freedom Bridge in 1953.
The Demilitarized Zone is about 4 km wide and 250 km long across the peninsula.
Tours into the JSA or the Third Tunnel must be booked in advance with a passport.

Travel tips

Carry your passport — it is required for every tour that goes deeper into the DMZ.
Book a few days ahead; schedules can be cancelled at short notice for security reasons.
There are dress and photography rules in some areas — listen to your guide.

Source: https://tour.paju.go.kr/user/tour/place/BD_tourPlaceInfoView.do?menuCode=78&cntntsSn=52

Updated: 2026-08-05