TL;DR — 4 things to know before you go
- The JSA (Panmunjom) is closed to tourists. Tours stopped after a US soldier crossed into North Korea on 18 July 2023. As of 22 October 2026, only VIP 'special tours' run, and the Ministry of Unification says its program for foreigners is not operating.
- The 3rd Tunnel and Dora Observatory are open. Paju City's DMZ Peace Tour leaves from Imjingak: ₩9,200 if you walk down into the tunnel, ₩12,200 with the tunnel shuttle train. It is closed on Mondays, and foreigners get no discounts.
- Bring your original passport. Copies, photos, screenshots and expired passports are refused at the ticket office. An Alien Registration Card or US Forces ID also works.
- Guided tour or do it yourself. Half-day group tours from Seoul generally sell for about ₩50,000–₩80,000 and include transport. Going alone costs less, but you need to reach Imjingak by 14:30, when ticket sales end.
⚠️ JSA / Panmunjom: closed to tourists (checked 25 October 2026)
Public tours of the Joint Security Area stopped on 18 July 2023, when a US soldier crossed the border during a tour. The Ministry of Unification's Panmunjom tour site still says tours will restart only after talks with the UN Command, and its English page says the tour program for foreigners is not operating. A Kyunghyang Shinmun report on 22 October 2026 said only VIP special tours have run since May 2025, for colonels and above or senior officials.
If a seller offers a 'JSA tour', ask in writing what happens if the JSA is closed on the day, before you pay. One operator's DMZ/JSA listing we checked showed bookings as closed.
If a seller offers a 'JSA tour', ask in writing what happens if the JSA is closed on the day, before you pay. One operator's DMZ/JSA listing we checked showed bookings as closed.
What Is the DMZ?
A buffer zone about 4 km wide, running roughly 250 km across the peninsula.
The Korean Demilitarized Zone was set up by the Armistice Agreement of 27 July 1953, which stopped the fighting of the Korean War. No peace treaty has been signed. The visitor sites most travellers see are in Paju, north-west of Seoul, around Imjingak.
The main sites are Imjingak (a park just outside the Civilian Control Zone, free to enter), the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel (found in 1978, 1,635 m long and 73 m underground, of which 265 m is open to visitors), Dora Observatory (rebuilt in 2018, looking towards Kaesong) and Dorasan Station on the Gyeongui Line.
What's Open in October 2026
Status and fees as published by the operators, checked on 25 October 2026.
| Site | Status | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imjingak park | Open | Free (parking extra) | No booking needed. You can walk around without entering the Civilian Control Zone. |
| DMZ Peace Tour (3rd Tunnel + Dora Observatory) | Open Tue–Sun | ₩9,200 walking / ₩12,200 with tunnel shuttle (adult) | Run by Paju City from the Imjingak ticket office. Tickets 09:00–14:30. Closed on Mondays, on weekday public holidays, and on Seollal and Chuseok day. |
| Imjingak Peace Gondola | Open daily | ₩12,000 / ₩15,000 crystal cabin (adult) | 09:00–18:00. Crosses the Imjin River into the Civilian Control Zone. |
| JSA (Panmunjom) | Closed to tourists | — | Closed since 18 July 2023. Only VIP special tours run. |
| DMZ Peace Trail (walking routes) | Korean nationals only | ₩10,000 | The Ministry of Unification's 2026 notice limits these routes to Korean nationals. |
| DMZ Peace Train (Seoul–Dorasan) | Restarted April 2026 | Check Korail | Restarted on 10 April 2026 and runs on some Fridays. We could not confirm whether visitors can book it with a foreign passport. |
No discounts for foreigners. Paju's official page says foreigners are not eligible for fee reductions under the city ordinance. Children aged 6 and under go free on the Peace Tour, and primary to high school students pay ₩7,000 (walking) or ₩9,500 (shuttle).
JSA Tours: Suspensions and Restarts
Why you can't book the blue buildings right now.
JUL 2023 All tours stop
A US soldier crossed into North Korea during a tour on 18 July 2023, and every Panmunjom tour was suspended.
NOV 2023 A brief partial restart
Limited Ministry of Unification group tours restarted on 22 November 2023. They stopped again about a week later as military tension rose.
MAY 2025 Special tours only
The Ministry of Unification restarted 'special tours' for officials on 16 May 2025. Tours for the general public stayed suspended.
OCT 2025 Paused again
Special tours were paused during the APEC summit period in late October 2025.
DEC 2025 New UNC route
The UN Command told NK News that its orientation tour no longer enters the blue Conference Row buildings. Visitors go to the top of Freedom House instead. Kyunghyang Shinmun (22 October 2026) reported that some VIP tours run by the UN Command itself have still gone into the conference room, but this is not open to ordinary tourists.
OCT 2026 Still VIP only
On 22 October 2026, Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that only VIP special tours run. No date has been announced for public tours.
Two Ways to Go: Guided Tour or DIY
Both reach the same Paju sites. Neither includes the JSA right now.
| Guided group tour from Seoul | DIY: DMZ Peace Tour from Imjingak | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | About ₩50,000–₩80,000 (Koridoor's half-day tour: ₩70,000) | ₩9,200–₩12,200 plus your train and bus fares |
| Time | About 07:00–15:30 (Koridoor's half-day listing) | Half a day once you are at Imjingak, plus travel from Seoul |
| Booking | Online. You usually give your passport details in advance for the visitor list. | Online booking (Korean only) or the ticket office. No same-day online booking. |
| Guide | English-speaking guide | No guide. Paju says the program has no tour guides. |
| Best for | Short trips, non-Korean speakers | Budget travellers comfortable with Korean public transport |
Prices change. The tour price range comes from marketplace and operator listings we saw in October 2026, not an official tariff. Check what is included (lunch, the tunnel shuttle, the gondola) before you pay.
DIY: DMZ Peace Tour Step by Step
1
Check the notices first
Read the notices on dmz.paju.go.kr before you go. Paju can stop the program at short notice for security, weather or safety reasons. For example, a notice dated 23 October 2026 says some dates will be sold at the ticket office only because the road to Dora Observatory is closed.
2
Book online or plan to buy on site
Online booking opens daily at 10:00 for dates from the next day up to about one month ahead. Same-day online booking is not possible. The site is in Korean and its English service is marked as in preparation. Daily entry is capped at 3,000 people, and Paju warns that tickets often sell out early.
3
Get to Imjingak
Take the Gyeongui–Jungang Line to Munsan Station, then local bus 058 to Imjingak. Allow plenty of time from central Seoul.
4
Buy or collect tickets by 14:30
Ticket sales run from 09:00 to 14:30, Tuesday to Sunday. Paju issues tickets only when your whole group is at the ticket office. Show your original passport.
5
Ride the shuttle bus
Paju's shuttle bus takes you to the 3rd Tunnel and Dora Observatory. Stay on the designated route, because land off the roads is unconfirmed minefield.
6
In the tunnel
Choose walking (a steep slope down and back up) or the tunnel shuttle train. The shuttle restarted on 29 September 2026 after a two-year stop. People with high or low blood pressure, breathing problems, limited mobility, or who have been drinking may be refused entry.
Rules on the Day: ID, Photos, What Not to Bring
ID Original ID only
Foreigners can use a passport, an Alien Registration Card or a US Forces ID. Copies, photos, screenshots and expired passports are refused. Minors can enter with an adult guardian. Children aged 6 and under go free.
PHOTOS Follow staff instructions
Paju's visitor guide says photos and video, drones included, are banned inside the Peace Tour course. A 2024 Paju notice also banned photos facing north and visits to the Dora Observatory rooftop. Take photos only where staff say you can.
NO Prohibited items
Firearms, dangerous items, alcohol and fishing gear. Do not pick wild plants, catch animals or drop litter. The area is covered by CCTV.
NO Drones
Flying a drone near the ceasefire line without approval is a crime. Since 17 September 2026 the maximum is 1 year in prison or a ₩10 million fine (see our drone rules guide).
WEAR Comfortable shoes and layers
The official pages give no dress code for the Paju sites. The tunnel slope is steep and the sites are outdoors, so wear shoes you can climb in and dress for the weather.
Recent Operating Changes
OCT 2024 Tunnel shuttle stopped
The 3rd Tunnel shuttle train stopped running in October 2024.
19 APR 2026 One-day closure
Paju posted a notice that the DMZ Peace Tour would not run on 19 April. The notice is now marked as ended.
29 SEP 2026 Tunnel shuttle back
A new shuttle, named 'Ieum 1635', restarted from 29 September 2026. It runs at 09:20, 10:30, 11:30, 13:00 and 14:00 for shuttle-bus visitors (10 online and 20 on-site tickets per run).
23 OCT 2026 Dora Observatory road closed
Because the road to Dora Observatory is fully closed, some dates are sold at the ticket office only. The dates are in an image attached to the notice, so check dmz.paju.go.kr.
Sources
- Ministry of Unification, Panmunjom Tour site (panmuntour.go.kr): tours suspended since 18 July 2023; English page says the program for foreigners is not operating. Checked 25 October 2026.
- Kyunghyang Shinmun, 22 October 2026: only VIP special tours have run since May 2025.
- Yonhap and Chosun Ilbo, 15 May 2025 (special tours restart); Hankyoreh, 20 October 2025 (APEC pause); Financial News, 30 November 2023 (stopped again a week after restarting); NK News, 19 December 2025 (no Conference Row access).
- Paju City, DMZ Peace Tour site (dmz.paju.go.kr): fees, visitor guide, ID rules and notices dated 18 April 2025, 5 February 2025, 23 September 2026 and 23 October 2026. Checked 25 October 2026.
- Ministry of Unification press release, 1 April 2026: DMZ Peace Trail themed routes are for Korean nationals only, ₩10,000.
- Imjingak Peace Gondola official site (dmzgondola.com): hours and fees. Checked 25 October 2026.
- Korea Tourism Organization (VisitKorea): 3rd Tunnel facts. Korail via news reports, 10 April 2026: DMZ Peace Train restart.
- Koridoor (koridoor.co.kr) listings and marketplace listings, October 2026: guided tour prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not as tourists, as of 25 October 2026. Public tours stopped on 18 July 2023. Since May 2025 only VIP special tours have run, and the Ministry of Unification's English page says the tour program for foreigners is not operating. Check panmuntour.go.kr for any restart announcement.
Yes. Foreigners must show an original passport, an Alien Registration Card or a US Forces ID. Copies, photos, screenshots and expired passports are refused, and there is no entry without ID. Guided tours usually also ask for your passport details when you book.
Paju City's DMZ Peace Tour costs ₩9,200 for adults who walk down into the 3rd Tunnel, or ₩12,200 with the tunnel shuttle. Foreigners get no discounts. Guided half-day tours from Seoul generally sell for about ₩50,000–₩80,000 including transport, but prices vary by operator.
Yes. Go to Imjingak by train and bus, then buy a DMZ Peace Tour ticket at the ticket office (09:00–14:30, Tuesday to Sunday) or book online in advance. The program has no guide, and online booking is in Korean only.
Officially, no. Paju's visitor guide says photos and video, drones included, are banned inside the Peace Tour course, and a 2024 notice banned photos facing north at Dora Observatory. Follow the staff's instructions on the day.
Yes. Paju's official guide says minors may enter when accompanied by an adult guardian, and children aged 6 and under go free on the Peace Tour. We still recommend carrying their passports while travelling. The 3rd Tunnel slope is steep, and people with limited mobility may be refused entry.