The "Aegibong Starbucks" initiative pursued by Kim Byung-soo, the People Power Party candidate for Gimpo mayor during his previous term, is reshaping tourism in South Korea's border region. ABC of the United States visited to film a current affairs program, and foreign tourist numbers have surged 87 percent. Cumulative visitors are approaching the 1 million mark. Kim's campaign said Monday that "turning a symbol of national division into a global tourist destination was the result of the candidate's bold decision."
Spokesperson Yoo Young-sook said in a statement that "Aegibong is no longer merely a border tourist site," adding that "it is emerging as an international tourist destination drawing attention from global media and platforms."
The figures support the claim. Foreign tourists visiting Aegibong this year increased 87 percent from a year earlier. As of March, the share of foreign visitors exceeded 20 percent, and cumulative tourist numbers are approaching 1 million, establishing the site as a representative tourist destination of Gimpo.
The campaign attributed these changes to Kim's policy execution. "Attracting Starbucks to a border region, which no one had attempted before, along with cultivating cultural, peace, and ecological content, led to today's transformation," Yoo said. She added that "Kim transformed a symbol of division into a world-class destination representing South Korea's future and peace."
The campaign also outlined specific future plans. The first is operating a tourist shuttle bus connecting Seoul and Aegibong. The plan is to expand stay-type tourism infrastructure to shift from day-trip tourism to overnight tourism. The campaign also plans to introduce a tourist tram connecting Tongjin, Aegibong, and Munsusan, with the vision of ushering in an "era of 1 million annual tourists."
"The transformation of Aegibong represents Gimpo's potential, and Gimpo's potential represents the future of South Korea," Yoo said. "Citizens are directly experiencing the results created by Mayor Kim Byung-soo's leadership."
