This area is called "Samtong", designating the natural spring water that rises nonstop throughout the four seasons. Samtong is a Gust-Out water area, where water comes out to the surface when rain falls. This happens because while the water flows along the banks of the Hantan-river, it gets blocked by basalt rocks from going deeper underground and then the rocks make it flow back upwards between basalt rock layers or bed rock and basalt rock layers.

The Gush-Out water with the temperature of 13 to 15°C that rises through the basalt bed rock doesn't freeze in winter or even dries out in severe drought, so large and small beams using this water have been installed to irrigate the surrounding farmland. It is famous for its hot horseradish, which the water and rice from Cheorwon Plain is used to grow.

This area is known to had been inhabited by residents since the late 9th century when King Gungye of the Taibong Dynasty established the capital and ruled it. Although it's now a civilian-controlled area, due to Saemtongs great natural conditions for the inhabitation of wild birds such as the abundance of food and drinking water, the area within 2km radius of Saemtong, has been designated as a natural monument No. 245 since 10th July 1973, and managed as a wild bird sanctuary.

As well as geological tourism, this is a famous tourist spot for watching migratory birds such as the Natural Monument No.202, No.203 and No228, which are Red-crowned Crane, White-naped crane, Hooded Crane and also other wild birds including Herons and Gray Herons.

It is located in the northernmost part of the Jungbu Line, replacing the old Woljeong-ri Observatory, and is now in the spotlight as an observatory encompassing the DMZ, which attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists annually.

From the Peace Observatory, you can see the DMZ areas, Pyeonggang Plateau, Kim Il Sung Highland, Baekma Highland, North Korea's Shenzhen Village, and Cheorwon Fortress Site, the capital of Later Goguryeo, built in 901 by Gungye. The Cheorwon Fortress Site is a historical site and is well worth it in geopolitics, since Cheorwon lava plateau is located in the center of the Korean Peninsula and is designated as the strategic point of Chugaryeong Tectonic Valley.

Currently, the Peace Observatory is used as a DMZ Peace Tour and geographic attraction. After the unification of Korea, it is predicted to be a landmark in Hantan River Geopark.