Barbed wire and ‘paradise’: Here’s what it’s like to hike the new trail in the DMZ

GOSEONG, South Korea — The craggy mountains, glistening lakes and white sand lining the coast of North Korea are still out of reach.

However, many South Koreans have enjoyed a closer view since the government opened a civilian hiking trail in April in a northeastern section of the Demilitarized Zone, a heavily fortified strip of land that divides the peninsula.

The so-called DMZ peace trail is a signature part of President Moon Jae-in’s efforts to transform the buffer zone, which has largely been a no man’s land since the 1950-53 Korean War, into a symbol of unity despite stalled talks with the communist state over its nuclear weapons program.

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