The weekend before Mary and Steve left Seoul and headed off to China we went on a DMZ and JSA tour. The DMZ (Demilitarized zone) and JSA (joint security area) tours are something I have been wanting to do since moving here. I was just waiting for our first visitors, as I was sure they would want to go as well. We decided to go on a full day tour as we wanted to see as much as we can. What a full day. We left at 630am and didn't get home until almost 8pm! We saw the JSA in the morning, had a yummy Korean lunch then explored the DMZ in the afternoon.
Korea is the only divided country in the world. After the Korean War, it has been negotiated and then designated the DMZ 2 kilometers away from the truce line on each side of the border. The DMZ serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea , cutting the Korean peninsula basically in half along the 38th parallel. The DMZ is 160 miles long and is the most highly militarized border in the world.
Inside the DMZ, very near to Seoul, is a place called Panmunjeom which is home of the JSA (joint security area). Panmunjeom is the site of the negotiations that ended the Korean War and is the main center of human activity in the DMZ
There are several buildings on both the North and the South side of the Military Demarcation Line, and a few are built right on top of the MDL. The Joint Security Area is the location where all negotiations (since 1953 when the Korean war ended) have been held. The MDL goes through the conference rooms and down the middle of the conference tables where the North Koreans and the United Nations Command (primarily South Koreans and Americans) meet face to face. We were able to go inside of this building which was pretty incredible. This was the point in the tour where we were basically "IN" North Korea, as the building is half in the North and half in the South.
South Korean soldier inside the conference room
Learning more about the area we were in while inside the conference area
Inside the conference room with South Korean soldier
This is the JSA. The blue buildings are the conference rooms where North and South meet together. The large building in the back is North Korean. The guide pointed out that you could see North Koreans watching us through the curtains and he was right. You could see curtains moving in the wind as North Korean soldiers were watching us through binoculars. The entire time we were in the JSA we all felt very watched and under scrutiny. The guards made it very clear, and it was very enforced, that we were not to make any movements or hand gestures, as North Koreans could take that as a sign of hostility or disrespect. In this are we all kept our hands in our pockets. :)
Another shot of the JSA
This is pretty incredible. This is the dividing point, in the JSA, between North and South Korea! We were so close!
Since November 15, 1974, the South has discovered that four tunnels crossing the DMZ have been dug by North Korea. This is indicated by the orientation of the blasting lines within each tunnel. Upon their discovery, North Korea claimed that the tunnels were for
coal mining,however, no coal has been found in the tunnels. A truly amazing (and pretty freaky and claustrophobic) part of the tour was being able to go INTO one of these tunnels! We walked down a really steep and long tunnel and at the end were able to see down even further. There were many people inside and it was small, dark and wet. Overall, it was pretty creepy when you combine that with knowing the North Koreans had originally created this tunnel as a pathway to attack Seoul. Nonetheless, I am SO happy that I was able to see it. What an experience!! But, cameras were not allowed in or near the tunnel. Sorry! :)
Both North and South Korea maintain
peace villages in sight of each other's side of the DMZ. In the South, Daesong- dong houses Republic of Korea citizens, however they are exempt from paying tax and other civic requirements such as military service. They farm the land on in the DMZ and are paid the equivalent of $82,000 US dollars per year. They have certain requirements like a curfew at night and have to maintain residency there over 240 days per year. Students education is paid for, including college if they meet the requirements of admission.
To the North is the village of Kijong- dong which is commonly known as the "propaganda village" and houses many brightly colored, multi story fake buildings. These buildings have no floors, backsides of amenities. No one lives in these buildings. They are just a way to promote the illusion of activity in the North. They are merely there as as a way to "entice" South Korean citizens to deflect to the North. This area also boasts the biggest flag I have ever seen. It is over 600 pounds! This flag is the third largest in the entire world!
Until 2004, massive loudspeakers mounted on several of the buildings continuously delivered propaganda broadcasts directed towards the South.
Propaganda village in the North
The border is marked with small white markers. Can you see them along this tree line? If you go past them you are in North Korea.
A clearer shot of the propaganda village
Something interesting is that in the 1980's the South Korean government built a 3232 feet tall flagpole in Daesong-dong. The North Korean government responded by building an even larger flagpole. Theirs was 525 feet tall and is the one that we saw on the tour. This was the largest in the world, but others have been built to now make it the third tallest.
This has been called "The Flagpole War."
This is the flagpole on the North Korean side
Flagpole and North Korean propaganda village
Josh and I in front of the North Korean propaganda village
The Bridge of No Return is located in the JSA and crosses the MDL between North and South Korea. It was used for prisoner exchange at the end of the Korean War (in1953.) The name comes from the claim that prisoners that had been captured by the United States did not wish to be taken back to the North. The prisoners were all brought to this bridge and given the choice to remain in one country or cross to the other. But, if they chose to cross the bridge they could never return.
This is the Bridge of No Return!!
On our tour we also visited Dorasan Station, which is a railroad station on the subway line that once connected North and South Korea. It has been restored.Plans to finalize this have not been finalized, of course, but it was very interesting to visit the station and see the plans. The hope is to open this railroad service into North Korea and onto China.
It will be so interesting if/when this becomes a reality and we can look back on our visit here; before it was even opened for travel. So neat!
Inside of station showing plans for subway travel through North Korea and into China
The outside of Dorasan Station
DMZ
Leah, Steve, Josh and Mary at the DMZ
DMZ
Statue depicting unification between North and South Korea
Whew! What a blog post! If you are ever here in South Korea the DMZ and JSA tour is a MUST! Hope that all this information was interesting and not too boring. :)
