Known for decades as a heavily fortified bastion, the islands of Kinmen County are now seeing battlefields transformed into tourist attractions — and one of the biggest draws is a park centered on landmines.
Located on Little Kinmen, or Lieyu (烈嶼), the Landmine Theme Park has drawn thousands of visitors every month after opening in the middle of 2012, the Lieyu Township Office said.
The park, which was once a minefield, includes a tunnel filled with mines and warning signs from Taiwan, Cambodia and other countries to inform visitors of the area’s dangerous past. Simulated images of Kinmen beaches covered in the mines give a glimpse into what locals once saw every day.
Photo: CNA
A “removal crew” of mannequins dressed in orange uniforms and protective gear gives a step-by-step demonstration of the delicate demining procedure.
The park represents a commitment to removing mines across Kinmen as the county aims at becoming a landmine-free place that appeals to tourists.
“Landmines are part of Kinmen’s battlefield characteristics,” said Hung Jui-hung (洪瑞鴻), head of the townshipce’s tourism department.
The park aims to preserve “that special memory,” Hung said.
Park officials plan to expand the park’s walking trails and observatories, and to create a simulation of landmines buried in bushes.
“We hope it will help attract more tourists to Kinmen,” Hung said.
Tens of thousands of mines were deployed around Kinmen County, which was on the frontline of Taiwan’s defense against China throughout the Cold War.
However, as cross-strait tensions have eased in recent years, Kinmen has looked to capitalize on its military history by transforming itself into a “park in the war zone.”
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
The Taipei District Court sentenced babysitters Liu Tsai-hsuan (劉彩萱) and Liu Jou-lin (劉若琳) to life and 18 years in prison respectively today for causing the death of a one-year-old boy in December 2023. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said that Liu Tsai-hsuan was entrusted with the care of a one-year-old boy, nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴), in August 2023 by the Child Welfare League Foundation. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 23 that year, she and her sister Liu Jou-lin allegedly committed acts of abuse against the boy, who was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries on Dec. 24, 2023, but did not