For anyone curious about civilian life in North Korea, Starbucks is offering its customers in the south a peek into the world’s most reclusive country while sipping a favorite brew.

The Starbucks outlet is one of only a few ways for South Koreans and international tourists to get a look inside North Korea, even if it’s from afar, without setting foot there. It offers an alternative to tours of the DMZ, which draws tons of tourists travelers each year, according to the Korea Tourism Organization.

The café opening is part of the city's initiative to transform the area into a global tourist hotspot by capitalising on its historical significance. Local officials from Gimpo h

Customers have to pass a military checkpoint before entering the observatory where the new Starbucks has opened.