Nature Is Thriving Between These Two Countries

360-degree view images are showing how wildlife has found peace between North and South Korea, in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) established 70 years ago, a sanctuary home to hundreds of endemic species.

Caught by Google Street View as part of a Google project – launched in collaboration with nine South Korea-based cultural institutions – aimed at marking the 70^th anniversary of the 1953 armistice when both countries pulled back from the DMZ.

Since July 27^th, 1953, civilian activities are restricted, giving way to fauna and flora to thrive within an area spanning 907 km² – 1.5 times the size of Seoul and twice the size of New York – where 6,200 wildlife species live. According to South Korea’s National Institute of Ecology, 38% of the endangered species of the Korean peninsula live in the DMZ, including golden eagles, musk deer, and mountain goats. And thanks to surveys conducted at the DMZ Botanic Garden, it has been showing that hundreds of endemic plant species live also within the zone.