DMZ
Taking the advice of nice Mrs. Kim, the owner of our first hostel in Korea (Kim's Guest House Korea), we decided to take the DMZ/JSA & 3rd Tunnel Tour offered by the USO. While Clayton was on the phone making our reservation, I decided to talk to the nice looking guy sitting in the hostel lounge looking at a DMZ Tour info sheet. Found out his name was Chris, he was from Scotland, and then I invited him to join us the next morning for the tour. He ended up being AWESOME and we hung out with him a lot until we lost him...but that's a future story. So we scheduled to join the tour, which left at 8am from the Camp Kim USO near Itewan (area of Seoul). Well...as it was our vacation, we were not so great at getting up i the morning...so although we left at the time we had agreed to the night before, we realized that we weren't going to make it by the 7:30am check-in time! So we hopped into a taxi, and ran the rest of the way, making it right on the dot!
The tour was fun, and full of nice people: military guys (as it was a tour offered by the USO and had a discount if you were an active military member), Americans, a couple French people, and the tallest German we have ever seen! Our tour guide was a strange Korean woman...but she was nice.
First we drove in the tour bus to the DMZ. To enter the DMZ you have to go through a bunch of check points...that's why you have to reserve a place on the tour, because they send your passport information ahead of time! I picked up a couple DMZ tour pamphlets, so to give you an idea of what it's all about i will now quote them:
So, we saw all these places. But I want to add a little commentary to their descriptions. Once we entered camp Boniface (after all the security checks), we were briefed by cute American officers. They were pretty humerous and made the tour interesting. After informing us of all the rules (only take photos when told its ok, cell phones don't work, and NO gesturing or making faces at the North Korean soldiers when visiting the Freedom House or P'anmunjeom...breaking that rule would cause the end of the tour for everyone!) they ushered us onto a new JSA bus. Visiting the P'anmunjeom was the coolest. That's when we got to actually see the South Korean ROK Soldiers (Republic of Korea), who stand in the "Rock Ready" position at the DMZ line facing the North Koreans. These ROK soldiers are chosen because they are "above average in height" and they wear cop-killer sunglasses, and stand in the modified judo position to "intimidate" the North Koreans. COOL! We were also able to enter the building that holds conferences between the North and South. This building is half in South Korea and half in North Korea. We were then allowed to step onto the North Korean side...yes, we were IN North Korea (technically at least) and then proceeded to take a picture of our feet standing in North Korea, and of ourselves with the "ROK Ready" Soldiers guarding the doors to North Korea. They told us sometimes North Korean soldiers will come to the window of the building and make throat-slitting motions and other threatening gestures (but we can't gesture back remember)...but none did while we were there...darn.
We visited the site of the "axe murder incident." The story goes, there was a tree that was blocking the view between two observatory points. UN/South Korean guards went to cut down the branch one day, and were met by North Korean troops who "for no apparent reason" got really hostile and suddenly attacked the men cutting the tree branch. Sad story. This is also located near the "bridge of no return." This is the bridge that Koreans who were stuck in North Korea crossed to get to South Korea, leaving behind family they can never see again...until the day that Korea is united.
The we visited the observatories where you can view the "Propaganda village" in North Korea. This is a village that is built just beyond the DMZ, has big impressive buildings, and a HUGE flag pole with a HUGE North Korean flag...but NO people live there! They call it propaganda village because it use to blast propaganda from loud speakers...but has stopped. Craziness. There is also a South Korean peace village that is located within the area of the DMZ. Residents there have tons of regulations, curfews, and all that...but they also get incredible tax breaks. I think they are all farmers who use to live in the area before it was made into the DMZ after the war.
Also incredibly cool was the 3rd Tunnel. We weren't quite prepared for the "exercise" of walking down the tunnel. We nick-named it the "Tunnel of doom" because you had to wear this great hard-hat (the tunnel is pretty low) and first you walk down FOREVER, and i mean straight down! and then you walk through a dark, damp, wet tunnel until you get to the end, where it is blocked off...because well you can't enter North Korea. It was kind of strange...but interesting to imagine how they had built this intending to send thousands of troops into South Korea. Also, the walls are painted in coal, because they also tried to claim that it was an old coal mine or something ridiculous like that. Then...we had to climb out of this tunnel. Before i said we walked straight down...well walking up was probably the hardest workout I'd had in MONTHS! :)
All in all, the DMZ tour was really interesting. A little propaganda filled on both sides, and a little touristy...but still quite interesting. I'd like to learn more now about the Korean War and the effects it has had on the Korean people.
Cute tour guide #2...no pictures of #1 :(
North Korea!!
Me, Clayton, and Chris (Scottish friend)
ROK Ready baby!
Feet in North Korea!! Me, Richard, Makoto, and Clayton
Me in "North Korea" with a ROK Soldier
Freedom House
ROK Ready!
DMZ marker
Propaganda Village with GIANT flagpole
Propaganda Village....and GIANT flagpole!
me on the bus!
Memorial to those killed in the "axe murder incident"
Bridge of No Return
Dora Observatory
"ROK Ready" Richard!!
The tour was fun, and full of nice people: military guys (as it was a tour offered by the USO and had a discount if you were an active military member), Americans, a couple French people, and the tallest German we have ever seen! Our tour guide was a strange Korean woman...but she was nice.
First we drove in the tour bus to the DMZ. To enter the DMZ you have to go through a bunch of check points...that's why you have to reserve a place on the tour, because they send your passport information ahead of time! I picked up a couple DMZ tour pamphlets, so to give you an idea of what it's all about i will now quote them:
"DMZ: (Demilitariezed Zone): Feel the sorrow of a divided country! To truly understand Korea and her people, visitors must understand the effect of the war and the chasm it left in the hearts of its victim. The only divided country on earth, Korea and symbol of division, DMZ. DMZ is the most heavily fortified border on the planet. It has been 50years since the Korean War ended in 1953. However, the DMZ has been standing strongly dividing the waist of the Korean Peninsula. For anyone who plans to visit South Korea on business or vacation, this place must not be missed. Visitors can see a picture of Korea's division and its fragile state of peace through looking at the Demilitarized Zone(DMZ).
3rd Tunnel: The 3rd Tunnel was discovered on October 17, 1978. It is located 52km from Seoul. Approximately 10,000 soldiers can move through this tunnel in one hour. When this tunnel was discovered, North Koreans insisted steadfastly that it was made by South Koreans to invade North Korea, but this proved to be false. Mt. Dora Observation Platform is located nearby the 3rd Tunnel. From this observation platform, North Korean military personnel are visible, and so are the city of Gaeseong and the Geumgangsan Diamond Mountains. Dora observatory is located at the western front line of the DMZ. From this platform, you can get a view of North Korean life includig propaganda village and Gaesung city. Aren't you curious about their life?
Panmunjeon (the Joint Security Area): This P'anmunjeom is only a 800 square meter area decided as Joint Security Area between U.N. and North Korea. This P'anmunjeom is officially called as Joint Security Area (JSA) between U.N. forces and North Korean forces, and is a special area that is out of administrative control of South and North Korea. U.N. and North Korea operate 6 guard posts each in JSA and 35 security guards reside in it. After the axe murder incident on 18 August 1976 by North Korean soldiers, security guards can not walk over the other side's area.
Camp Bonifas: The U.N. Command forces have jurisdiction over the P'anmunjeom that is the only place controlled by them in South Korea. The forces stay in teh Camp Bonifas named in honor of the late captain Arther G. Bonifas who was killed in 'the axe murder incident' in P'anmunjeom area on 18 August 1976.
Freedom House: The new Freedom House was constructed on 9 July 1998. It provides facilities for South-North Korean contacts, meetings, and exchanges, and houses the Liason Office with North and South Korea. When the origional Freedom House was built in 1995, Red Cross representatives from the South used it to make contacts with their North Korean counterparts."
3rd Tunnel: The 3rd Tunnel was discovered on October 17, 1978. It is located 52km from Seoul. Approximately 10,000 soldiers can move through this tunnel in one hour. When this tunnel was discovered, North Koreans insisted steadfastly that it was made by South Koreans to invade North Korea, but this proved to be false. Mt. Dora Observation Platform is located nearby the 3rd Tunnel. From this observation platform, North Korean military personnel are visible, and so are the city of Gaeseong and the Geumgangsan Diamond Mountains. Dora observatory is located at the western front line of the DMZ. From this platform, you can get a view of North Korean life includig propaganda village and Gaesung city. Aren't you curious about their life?
Panmunjeon (the Joint Security Area): This P'anmunjeom is only a 800 square meter area decided as Joint Security Area between U.N. and North Korea. This P'anmunjeom is officially called as Joint Security Area (JSA) between U.N. forces and North Korean forces, and is a special area that is out of administrative control of South and North Korea. U.N. and North Korea operate 6 guard posts each in JSA and 35 security guards reside in it. After the axe murder incident on 18 August 1976 by North Korean soldiers, security guards can not walk over the other side's area.
Camp Bonifas: The U.N. Command forces have jurisdiction over the P'anmunjeom that is the only place controlled by them in South Korea. The forces stay in teh Camp Bonifas named in honor of the late captain Arther G. Bonifas who was killed in 'the axe murder incident' in P'anmunjeom area on 18 August 1976.
Freedom House: The new Freedom House was constructed on 9 July 1998. It provides facilities for South-North Korean contacts, meetings, and exchanges, and houses the Liason Office with North and South Korea. When the origional Freedom House was built in 1995, Red Cross representatives from the South used it to make contacts with their North Korean counterparts."
So, we saw all these places. But I want to add a little commentary to their descriptions. Once we entered camp Boniface (after all the security checks), we were briefed by cute American officers. They were pretty humerous and made the tour interesting. After informing us of all the rules (only take photos when told its ok, cell phones don't work, and NO gesturing or making faces at the North Korean soldiers when visiting the Freedom House or P'anmunjeom...breaking that rule would cause the end of the tour for everyone!) they ushered us onto a new JSA bus. Visiting the P'anmunjeom was the coolest. That's when we got to actually see the South Korean ROK Soldiers (Republic of Korea), who stand in the "Rock Ready" position at the DMZ line facing the North Koreans. These ROK soldiers are chosen because they are "above average in height" and they wear cop-killer sunglasses, and stand in the modified judo position to "intimidate" the North Koreans. COOL! We were also able to enter the building that holds conferences between the North and South. This building is half in South Korea and half in North Korea. We were then allowed to step onto the North Korean side...yes, we were IN North Korea (technically at least) and then proceeded to take a picture of our feet standing in North Korea, and of ourselves with the "ROK Ready" Soldiers guarding the doors to North Korea. They told us sometimes North Korean soldiers will come to the window of the building and make throat-slitting motions and other threatening gestures (but we can't gesture back remember)...but none did while we were there...darn.
We visited the site of the "axe murder incident." The story goes, there was a tree that was blocking the view between two observatory points. UN/South Korean guards went to cut down the branch one day, and were met by North Korean troops who "for no apparent reason" got really hostile and suddenly attacked the men cutting the tree branch. Sad story. This is also located near the "bridge of no return." This is the bridge that Koreans who were stuck in North Korea crossed to get to South Korea, leaving behind family they can never see again...until the day that Korea is united.
The we visited the observatories where you can view the "Propaganda village" in North Korea. This is a village that is built just beyond the DMZ, has big impressive buildings, and a HUGE flag pole with a HUGE North Korean flag...but NO people live there! They call it propaganda village because it use to blast propaganda from loud speakers...but has stopped. Craziness. There is also a South Korean peace village that is located within the area of the DMZ. Residents there have tons of regulations, curfews, and all that...but they also get incredible tax breaks. I think they are all farmers who use to live in the area before it was made into the DMZ after the war.
Also incredibly cool was the 3rd Tunnel. We weren't quite prepared for the "exercise" of walking down the tunnel. We nick-named it the "Tunnel of doom" because you had to wear this great hard-hat (the tunnel is pretty low) and first you walk down FOREVER, and i mean straight down! and then you walk through a dark, damp, wet tunnel until you get to the end, where it is blocked off...because well you can't enter North Korea. It was kind of strange...but interesting to imagine how they had built this intending to send thousands of troops into South Korea. Also, the walls are painted in coal, because they also tried to claim that it was an old coal mine or something ridiculous like that. Then...we had to climb out of this tunnel. Before i said we walked straight down...well walking up was probably the hardest workout I'd had in MONTHS! :)
All in all, the DMZ tour was really interesting. A little propaganda filled on both sides, and a little touristy...but still quite interesting. I'd like to learn more now about the Korean War and the effects it has had on the Korean people.
North Korean observation tower...they were taking photos of us!
Cute tour guide #2...no pictures of #1 :(
North Korea!!
Me, Clayton, and Chris (Scottish friend)
ROK Ready baby!
Feet in North Korea!! Me, Richard, Makoto, and Clayton
Me in "North Korea" with a ROK Soldier
Freedom House
ROK Ready!
DMZ marker
Propaganda Village with GIANT flagpole
Propaganda Village....and GIANT flagpole!
me on the bus!
Memorial to those killed in the "axe murder incident"
Bridge of No Return
Dora Observatory
"ROK Ready" Richard!!
posted by amanda at 12:23 AM
4 Comments:
Wow, what an amazing trip it must have been! How many Americans can actually say they've been in North Korea? I love the pictures and all of your stories, as well as the new haircut!
p.s. Don't you know by now that all military guys are funny, cute, and entertaining? (pretty modest too, or so I hear)
hahaha :)
Must have been great... it's always strange to be at a border... you are so near to yet so far from other people who are just a stone's throw away!
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