The DMZ

Today we went to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone), the 4 km of divided area between North and South Korea. We were actually able to step inside North Korea, so I can add another country to my list! We took a lot of pictures, so these are probably the best way to describe the day. Check it out below!

First, we got a briefing by an Army Sergeant and had to sign a form saying that we were not representatives of the UN or South Korea and anything we did could not be linked to them. This was basically to protect them in case we did anything wrong or caused death/injury/anything that could be interpreted as insulting that could cause problems during our visit.

We were then able to continue on to the JSA, the most fascinating place in the DMZ in my opinion. The pictures below show the view of the North Korean side, looking out from the South Korean side. The blue building (T2) is the one which we entered.

This is me in North Korea! The cement line seen on the ground out the window is the line which crosses between the North and South Korean sides of the buildings here, dividing the country. South Korea has three buildings built across this line, and North Korea has two.

Here is James standing next to a South Korean guard

Being here was very odd. The South Korean soldiers seen in the above pictures in the traditional Judo pose come out only when tour groups or others are visiting the DMZ. The North Koreans have watch towers positioned in order to watch the South Koreans and those on the South Korean side at all times. We were warned not to point, jesture, or try to communicate with any North Koreans while there. It was a very strange place, and you notice when you are there just how inappropriate the name "demilitarized zone" is for this place...both countries are ready for war at any second, with guards and soldiers stationed nearby at all times.

This is a view of North Korea from one of our stopping points. I am sure on a clear day this would be an even better picture!

The below picture is of "Propaganda Village," which was built on the North Korean side shortly after the DMZ was created in 1953. Until 2004, loudspeakers would play propaganda messages about Kim Jong Il and other North Korean messages for 6-12 hours a day. The strangest part of this is that the town is mostly deserted. It was built mostly as a show for the South Koreans. The North Korean flag seen in the picture has a weight of 600pounds, and our guide explained that if soaked, the flag pole would not be able to hold the weight of the flag. We were lucky to catch it on a windy day! The flag pole seen in the picture is the largest flagpole in the world, at 160M tall. The South Koreans previously had one larger at 100M, but shortly after that went up, North Korea built this flag pole to display their flag more prominently.

The bridge in this picture goes across the DMZ line...I was able to get a pretty good picture and on a dreary day like today, this bridge and entryway into North Korea looked pretty desolate.

Finally, our last stop was the Third Tunnel, where we were able to walk 350 meters underground at about a 15 degree incline through a South Korean tunnel to the end of a huge tunnel the North Koreans had built, reaching from North Korea under the DMZ line to the South Korean side. This tunnel was built around 1972, 19 years after the treaty between the two countries. It showed that the North Koreans had plans to attack, and would have allowed for an army to travel from North Korea to South Korea in one hours time. Pictures weren't allowed here, but this was a pretty cool part of the tour too.

At the Tunnel stop, we also went to the DMZ tourist information center. Here, we were shown a video created by the South Koreans, capitalizing on the fact that the two countries were working on reunification. It described the DMZ as a happy place full of growth and beauty, and no longer a sign of war or separation. We found this interesting simply because after a day of seeing and hearing about nothing but North Korean propaganda and the separation of the two countries, we were told that everything we had seen wasn't correct. This video was another piece of propaganda, and I decided to include a picture of the statue outside the center (at left).

Our day on the DMZ tour was awesome, and we had a great time! Just being there and seeing this was so cool. I have added a few more pictures on picasa if you would like to check them out. Hope everyone is doing well back in the US!