Odusan Unification Observatory Visit Overview
When I visited Odusan Unification Observatory on September 11, 2024, I remember that it was quite hot outside. When I visited again on November 21, 2025, the sky was clear and it was not very cold. There was no ID check upon entry, and admission was free.
Below is a video showing the North Korean territory visible from Odusan Unification Observatory.
Table of Contents
- Late Autumn Visit to Odusan Unification Observatory
- Statue of Go-dang Cho Man-sik
- History of Odusan
- Odusan Unification Observatory Location
Late Autumn Visit to Odusan Unification Observatory
On November 21, 2025, since I had already seen the indoor exhibition during my previous visit, I skipped it this time and went straight to the outdoor observatory on the 4th floor. From there, I viewed the Han River, the Imjin River, North Korean territory, and South Korean territory. The distance to North Korea is approximately 3 kilometers.
I didn’t see any signs saying photography was prohibited, so I took photos and recorded some videos — though there were limits to how much I could zoom in. It made me want to buy a high-performance digital camera, but I can’t afford one.
Looking through the telescope, I could see a person on North Korean soil. I was able to watch someone walking. Who could that person be? Why were they walking? I have no way of knowing.
Although I was unable to photograph the person in North Korea, it was nice that I could use the fixed telescope for free. There was a small note indicating the price of the telescope, and if I remember correctly, it was several million won.
There were foreign visitors who appeared to be Japanese, also looking toward North Korea. That made me think it might be good to write in Japanese, but the problem is that I know almost nothing — maybe 1% — of the language.
If the Korean War had not broken out in 1950, the Odusan Unification Observatory likely wouldn’t exist.
Statue of Go-dang Cho Man-sik
In the plaza stands a statue of Jo Man-sik. The statue has its back to the north. According to what I found, Jo Man-sik is believed to have died in North Korea during the Korean War. He was not a soldier.
History of Odusan
Odusan Unification Observatory opened on September 8, 1992.
As of February 9, 2026, a Twosome Place café is scheduled to open in March.
Odusan Fortress, located on Odusan, is Historic Site No. 351.
It is presumed to be Gwanmi Fortress of Baekje, and only traces of the mountain fortress remain.
I have never personally seen the traces of Odusan Fortress.
Odusan Unification Observatory Location
The road-name address of the observatory is Odusan Unification Observatory, 369 Pilseung-ro, Tanhyeon-myeon, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
It is located where the Imjin River and the Han River meet before flowing toward the West Sea. You can see all of this scenery from the site.
There are parking attendants, and perhaps because visitors don’t stay very long, there tend to be available parking spaces.