The Gyeonggi Tourism Organization plans to build the tentatively named “Monorail of Peace” between Imjingak Pyeonghwa Nuri and Panmunjeom.

The Monorail of Peace will be built in accordance with Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung’s policy of establishing Gyeonggi Province as the center of Korean peace. It is also an endeavor to establish Imjingak Pyeonghwa Nuri and Panmunjeom as global symbols of peace and Korean landmarks. Through the development of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) tourism resources, jobs will be created and the economy will be stimulated along the DMZ, which has been a symbol of division.

The monorail will not only serve as a mode of transportation but will also be a high-tech mode of tourism. It will run a total length of 11 kilometers between Imjingak Pyeonghwa Nuri and Panmunjeom and include four stations: Imjingak Station, Division Station, Peace Station and Panmunjeom Station.

There will be unique tourist features associated with each station. Imjingak Station will be a venue for sign-ups, education, and amenities in connection with Imjingak Pyeonghwa Nuri, Forest Nuri (a wetland educational center), and other tourist spots. Division Station will feature experiences and exhibitions pertaining to the Korean War as well as the pain and struggles of the divided peninsula. At Peace Station, the DMZ, a place of division transformed into a place of peace, is recreated using VR and AR. Panmunjeom Station will feature a duty-free store, North Korean cuisine and special goods.

The monorail itself will be an enjoyment. The walls and floor of the train will be made of a special glass through which passengers can see the DMZ, which has been preserved in its original form for 70 years. The glass walls will also present videos on the history of the DMZ and the unification of Korea.

A Gyeonggi Tourism Organization official explained: “We are introducing ideal content using the latest technologies so that all monorail passengers can experience the DMZ and be entertained, moved to tears, and awed.

The Gyeonggi Tourism Organization plans to eventually expand the Monorail to Songaksan Mountain in Kaesong. The first phase of the project is for the 11 kilometer section between Imjingak and Panmunjeom. The second phase calls for a 14-kilometer section between Panmunjeom and Kaesong, which will pass directly through Kaesong. The third phase will be a 3-kilometer section between Kaesong and Songaksan Mountain.

The Gyeonggi Tourism Organization expects that construction of the Monorail of Peace will create jobs for the people in northern Gyeonggi Province—in areas such as Paju City, Goyang City, and Yeoncheon County—and contribute significantly to the local economy. Once the monorail becomes a landmark of the DMZ, it can eventually be expanded as a “stay-cation” venue and increase the consumption of local products. The Gyeonggi Tourism Organization also predicts that it will generate revenue through the provision of accommodations to visitors to Korea International Exhibition Center.

Currently only Daegu, the Suncheonman Bay, and Geoje have operating monorails in Korea. The Monorail of Peace will be the first of its kind that features DMZ-related content through cutting-edge technology. Running every 6 to 8 minutes, the monorail will have a top speed of approximately 30 kilometers per hour with a roundtrip taking around 50 minutes (tourism activities excluded).

Gyeonggi Tourism Organization President Yu Dong-gyu explained: “Although Korea has been isolated from the rest of Asia because of the North, if a pathway into the North is opened, our country will truly live up to its geopolitical potential as a peninsular nation.” He added, “The Monorail of Peace is the first step and an inspiration in this process.”

The Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, together with Gyeonggi Province, will officially propose the Monorail of Peace to the national government as new tourist infrastructure and endeavor to expedite related procedures.