Visitors to Camp Greaves, the “Center of Security-themed

DMZ Tourism,” Increased by 42 Percent

Number of Visitors Totaled 17,128 in 2016 and 11,993 in 2015

Gyeonggi Province announced on January 16 that visitors to Camp Greaves in Paju, the only security-themed tourist attraction within the Civilian Control Line in Northern Gyeonggi Province, increased by 42% in 2016 from the previous year.

The number of people who visited Camp Greaves in Paju, the only security-themed tourist attraction within the Civilian Control Line in Northern Gyeonggi Province, increased by 42% in 2016 from the previous year.

Gyeonggi Province announced on January 16 that 17,128 people visited Camp Greaves from January to December of 2016. The number is 11,357 more than the 5,771 visitors in 2014 (196%↑) and 5,135 more than the 11,993 visitors in 2015(42%↑).

Camp Greaves is the only returned land grant from the United States Forces Korea (USFK) within the Civilian Control Line; they were stationed at the camp for 50 years from July of 1953, shortly after the Korean War, to the deployment to Iraq in 2004.

The center is not only used as accommodations for tourists visiting the DMZ, but also as a facility for a variety of related events such as the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival, youth events, workshops of local and central government departments and private groups, and as a gathering place for military personnel in nearby units and their families.

Park Jeong-ran, Assistant Governor for Balanced Development Planning of Gyeonggi Province, said, “During the past year, diverse infrastructure for the activation of DMZ tourism – such as the DMZ Ecotourism Support Center, the skywalk on Dokgae Bridge named ‘Sound of Miracle for Tomorrow,’ and the Pyeonghwa Nuri Trail Guesthouse – has been completed. We will continue to provide a wide range of attractions to tourists by utilizing the various resources of the DMZ including Camp Greaves.”

According to Gyeonggi Province, as Camp Greaves has recently attracted attention as a filming location of Descendants of the Sun, a popular Korean TV drama series. Newly created experiential programs based on that drama – such as experiencing barracks and uniforms, and making military identification tags – run in the parking and maintenance areas of Camp Greaves are attracting many foreign tourists, especially from China.

Since the program started in June 2016, Camp Greaves has emerged as a hot spot, attracting as many as 11,101 tourists, a number totaled separately from visitors to the experience center.

In addition, in June of last year, Gyeonggi Province entered into an agreement on the operation of security-themed tourism in Camp Greaves with the 1st Infantry Division (Republic of Korea Army’s I Corps) that has jurisdiction over the facility, which led to its designation as a “security-themed tourist attraction.”

As a result, the number of tourists that had been limited to 250 per day increased to 3,000 per day. In the past, there was the inconvenience of having to give notice two or three days in advance of visits, but now tourists can freely enter the facility after purchasing tickets at the ticket office on the day of their visit.

Currently, Gyeonggi Province is promoting the Camp Greaves Culture Regeneration Project to transform the facilities at Camp Greaves into various exhibition, culture and experience spaces through the establishment and donation of related facilities to the military units that have jurisdiction over Camp Greaves, instead of seeking the transfer of the rights over the site by the Ministry of National Defense.

From 2018, when the project is slated to be completed, it will be a space that provides tourists with a variety of attractions and experiences, as well as a space of hope and art to preserve the history and ecological value of the DMZ and to promote peace.

It should be noted that reservations are necessary for the use of Camp Greaves facilities, which are only available to groups of more than 20 persons. Reservations must be made via the official website of Camp Greaves. For more information, please refer to the website (dmzcamp131.or.kr) or contact the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization (031-953-6970).