Seoul: The unification ministry is poised to restart its tour program to Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone this week after a suspension triggered by military tensions in late 2023. Officials confirmed on Thursday that the program will resume on Friday through a special tour initiative, originally halted for public safety concerns.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Panmunjom tour was initially suspended in July 2023 after an incident involving U.S. Army Pvt. Travis King, who crossed into North Korea during a tour of the Joint Security Area. This event led to heightened military tensions, prompting the government to cease the tours. Although the tour briefly resumed in November, it was quickly halted again when North Korean soldiers began carrying heavy firearms, escalating tensions in the border region.
Since the complete suspension, Panmunjom has only been accessible to foreigners, including Korean War veterans, through an irregular tour program, while South Korean citizens were barred from visiting. As part of the tour program’s resumption, 17 government officials and executives from state-run companies, currently enrolled in a state-operated unification education course, are set to visit Panmunjom on Friday.
The restart of the tour program will initially be restricted to policy-related visitors. The decision to reopen tours to the general public will depend on future assessments of safety conditions in the area.