"Overlooking the Imjin River under the Glass Skywalk"

 

The Paju Liberty Bridge, also known as Bukjin Bridge, located in Jangpara, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do, which was built by the US military during the Korean War just before the signing of the armistice agreement, reopened after seven years following the completion of reconstruction work.

 

Unlike its previous simple purpose of passage, it is expected to become a tourist attraction with features such as a glass-bottomed skywalk.

 

Paju-si temporarily allowed passage from September 27, 2023, and officially opened the Liberty Bridge at the end of next month, October.

 

The Liberty Bridge, spanning the Imjin River, was built on July 4, 1953, just before the armistice agreement. The name "Liberty Bridge" was given to honor Sergeant George Libby, who received a posthumous decoration for his bravery during the Battle of Daejeon in the early days of the Korean War in 1950.

 

The Liberty Bridge was closed for repair and reinforcement work in October 15, 2016, after receiving Grade E in a safety assessment.

 

 

However, due to the judgment that repair and reinforcement alone were not safe enough, it was decided to completely demolish and rebuild it.

 

The city invested 19.8 billion won from November 2019 to the recent period for reconstruction work, resurrecting the Liberty Bridge, which is 328m long, 11.9m wide, and has two lanes for two-way traffic.

 

The city has turned the Liberty Bridge into a tourist attraction by installing various colored lights on the bridge pillars and sculptures of characters such as 'PEACE' and 'Unification.'

 

In addition, a skywalk has been created for tourists to walk on the transparent glass floor and overlook the Imjin River, and a photo zone has been set up where visitors can take pictures with the Imjin River in the background.

 

Furthermore, plans are underway to introduce tourism packages that connect nearby attractions such as Deokjin Fortress, Heo Jun's Tomb, Imjingak, and Dorasan Observatory.

 

Moreover, in front of the Liberty Bridge, the US military club 'Last Chance,' where singer Cho Yong-pil performed in his younger days, has been restored and is being provided as a cultural space for various artists, making it another tourist attraction.

 

Mayor Kim Kyung-il said, "With the opening of the Liberty Bridge, I hope the inconvenience of residents and farmers in the northern part of the Civilian Control Line will be alleviated," and added, "I will make efforts to create an environment where residents can travel comfortably through consultation with the relevant military units."

 

 

 

 

 

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]