This review is in three parts - the Observatory, its accompanying museum, and the new DMZ museum We drove hire car so getting there not a problem. When we got to the military checkpoint, about 5 km out, a pleasant, young soldier explained in passing english that we had to turn around and go back to the other side of a tunnel, turn off and get the pass we needed there. We followed those instructions and they were fine. At the office, located in the back of a souvenir shop, a man gave us a form and english translation for how to fill it in. We paid him 6000 won. When we had completed the form we handed it to another bloke and he took 5000 won. We think 1 was the Pass fee, the other the Observatory fee. We returned northwards, the soldier greeted is worth a cheery 'welcome back'. Car, boot was checked. Given some instructions about not photographing military and a bright yellow card to put on dashboard. We went to the DMZ museum first. We were in by 9.05 and the only ones there for an hour or more. Another very good S Korea museum, in parts. It focuses more on the DMZ than the War. There is english on the ground floor, though more would be better, but little on the upper floor. It is all very modern. We them drove the 2km or so to the Observatory. You park below and it is uphill walk to the building. There there are outside platforms to look across to the border. There are also some pay for binoculars. If you look carefully you can make out a ridge running fence and path away in the distance. All looks pretty desolate It looks like they are building a higher modern observatory, all stainless steel and height, but when open don't know. Only date we could make out on the building screens was 2017, so they're late. Across the car park there is then the War Museum. Pretty depressing and aging somewhat. Also hardly any english there, just some English headings above Korean writing We were in the area for about 3 hour and it took more than an hour each way from Sokcho. At no stage were poor passports checked. Nor were we stopped from taking pictures at the observatory towards the border Certainly an historical and fascinating place to visit

Pretty amazing, hard to get to if you don't have a car and no buses go right to the observatory so plan your trip.