South Korea to reopen all 12 walking trails near Demilitarized Zone

South Korea announced Wednesday that it will reopen all 12 peace-themed walking routes near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas for this year's program.

The trails, collectively known as the DMZ Peace Trail, will be open from April 17 to Nov. 30, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing a statement from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Operations will be temporarily suspended in July and August due to the summer heat.

The trails, stretching across border cities and towns in Incheon, Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces, were created in 2019 to give South Korean citizens a rare opportunity to explore the ecological, cultural and historical significance of one of the world's most tightly guarded borders.

All operations are paused during the extreme winter months before reopening for the new season.

Seoul plans to increase the number of available operating days and participants this year to offer more people the chance to experience the area.

The 250-kilometer (155-mile) long and 4-kilometer (2.48-mile) wide DMZ has divided the peninsula since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas technically still at war.