The Korean government may have a point with this because the perception of being a war zone may not appeal to all travelers:

Time magazine listed the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as one of the top experiences one can have in Asia in its latest issue, but South Korean officials and marketing consultants question whether it spoils the country’s image.

From South Korea’s perspective, the DMZ magnifies its negative association with communist North Korea, which policymakers are seeking to avoid.

The country’s image has been damaged and clouded by the actions of the Stalinist state. Whenever Korea is mentioned in any corner of the world, many ordinary people often conjure up negative images of nuclear weapons or dictator Kim Jong-il.

This badly damages the positive image of South Korea, which is an OECD member, the ninth-largest exporting country in the world and a tech-savvy nation.

Michael Breen, a Korea Times columnist and a PR consultant in Seoul said, “Many Korean officials consider the DMZ to have a negative impact on tourism and would prefer that it is not promoted.”

He added, however, that North Korea and the 38th Parallel are a reality.

The DMZ is the biggest association Western visitors have with South Korea, and tourism planners should do everything they can to facilitate tourism there.  [Korea Times]

Then again I think South Korea has many other self inflicted problems when it comes to trying to appeal to international tourists besides the North Korea problem.

I’m just waiting for Kim Jong-il to start to demand a cut of the DMZ tourism dollars.