Border area north of Seoul, Gyeonggi province
The DMZ and Paju
The Demilitarized Zone near Paju is a guided day trip from Seoul and one of the most requested stops in Korea. Visits are tightly controlled: you join a licensed tour, bring your passport, follow the guides' instructions and accept that photography is restricted at certain points. Sites can close at short notice for security reasons.
What creators film here
Tours from Seoul typically visit sites around Paju, such as Imjingak, observation points that look towards the North and, on some routes, an infiltration tunnel. Which sites are open changes, and some well-known ones can be suspended for long periods.
When to come
Tours run most of the year, and spring and autumn are the most comfortable. Winters are bitterly cold on the observation decks. Security conditions, not the weather, decide whether a tour runs.
Getting around on a hosted trip
You join a licensed tour from Seoul. Operators ask for passport details in advance and set their own eligibility, which can depend on nationality, so this needs to be booked early.
Filming notes
Photography and filming are restricted at certain points, and some sites ban them completely. Always follow the guides' and soldiers' instructions, never film military personnel or installations unless told it is allowed, and do not bring a drone.