North-west of Seoul, close to where the Imjin river flows into the Han and the demilitarised zone cuts the Korean peninsula in two, lies a royal tomb: Jangneung, the resting place of King Injo, who ruled Joseon in the seventeenth century, and his queen. Injo's reign was marked by invasions from the Manchu, and he was forced to humiliate himself before the Qing emperor in 1637, a defeat that still resonates in Korean memory. His tomb, like the other Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty, inscribed on the UNESCO list in 2009, is a grassy mound on a hillside, guarded by stone figures of officials, warriors and animals, with a T-shaped shrine below.
The Joseon tombs were placed according to the principles of pungsu, Korean geomancy, with mountains behind and water in front, and their settings are peaceful, with pine forests and lawns. Jangneung is in Paju, a city that has grown rapidly in recent decades, with publishing towns, outlet malls and new housing, but the tomb area remains calm.
Paju is also the gateway to the DMZ. Imjingak, a park on the Imjin river, has memorials, a railway bridge and views toward the North, and tours to the Joint Security Area at Panmunjom and the infiltration tunnels start from here, though access depends on the security situation and requires booking. Munsan, twelve kilometres away, is the local centre, with fuel and services.
For riders, the roads north of Seoul are busy and urban, but they open up toward the DMZ, where military checkpoints and restricted areas limit where you can go. Motorcycles are not allowed on expressways. Ganghwa Island, to the west, is a good destination, with dolmens, fortresses and temples, and roads along the coast with views over the mudflats. Spring and autumn are the best times, when the weather is mild and the light clear.