A huge tower is causing some tension between China and North Korea. This tower has become quite the attraction for tourists who are curious about what life is like in North Korea.
According to Radio Free Asia on Sunday (4/7), the tower stands near the Yalu River in Chiangbai Millennium Cliff City, Chiangbai, Jilin Province. This spot marks the border between China and North Korea.
Facing right towards Hyesan City in North Korea, this tower has become a hotspot for tourists. Most of the visitors are Chinese folks eager to get a glimpse of what’s happening on the other side of the border.
This tower is a whopping 50 meters tall and 70 meters long. At the top, there’s a telescope that visitors can use to check out North Korea.
But there’s more to this spot than just the tower. Tourists can also enjoy other fun stuff like Ferris wheels and swings. And get this—they swing right towards the border. It’s quite the thrill!
And the best part? It’s super cheap, only 7 Yuan per person. However, it stopped operating on March 15th, citing safety concerns.
“North Korean authorities see this tower as a no-no, saying it breaks some rules about how the border should be managed,” said a local from Chiangbai who didn’t want to give their name.
The tower was put up by a rich businessperson from Yanji City in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture. They paid for it themselves.
But besides breaking some rules, the tower has also become a bit of a safety hazard. There’ve been a few run-ins between tourists and North Korean soldiers..
In another incident, a North Korean student chucked a rock at the tower while tourists were snapping photos. The tourists didn’t take it lying down—they hit back with water bottles and banana peels.
Things have been heating up lately. North Korea has been warning Chinese security forces that if these incidents keep happening, it could lead to big trouble between the two countries.
To calm things down, the management put up signs telling people not to shout or throw stuff at North Korean citizens. Officials from both countries have talked about the tower, but they haven’t come to any agreement yet.
According to North Korean officials, people in Hyesan feel like they’re in a zoo.
North Korea wants China to tear down the tower completely. For now, though, the tower remains closed, and nobody knows when it’ll reopen.