Imjingak skywalk to open to public next month

"Whistle for Tomorrow," an observatory to set up in Imjingak in Paju City, Gyeonggi Province, will complete its construction and be open in December. Dokgaedari is a railroad of the Gyeongui Line that links Uncheon in Munsan village and Nosang in Jangdan village, and only the bridge post remains due to bombing during the Korean War. Since May this year, the Gyeonggi Provincial Government has spent 2 billion won (174 million dollars) to create a 105 meter long, 5 meter wide observatory toward the Imjin River by using steel frames and tempered glass. Spectators can tour the bridge consisted of three sections, namely, the past, present and future.

The "past" section is designed in the form of a steam locomotive's passenger coach of the Gyeongui line, and people can feel as if they are on the Gyeongui line train in the early 20th century. The "present" section is designed as Gyeongui line rails and a crosstie. Through the magic glass on the bottom, people can see the natural puddle of the Imjin River and the bullet marks on the bridge posts during the war. In the "future" section, people can observe on the first floor through the steel frames at the end the lower part of the bridge and the Imjin River. A rest place is set up on the second floor where people can observe the ecology environment of the Imjin River.

"This is the only tourist facility where people can freely enjoy natural historic scenery in the civilian passage restriction line, without having to go through procedure with the Defense Ministry for entry," said an official of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government. "are patrolling the site, and when complementary construction for nearby military units and patrol roads is over, the place will be opened in December."

Kyung-Hyun Nam bibulus@donga.com