The Korean War-DMZ Tour

After world war II, South and North Korea took vastly different forms of government. The ideological confrontation of these two governments ultimately led to the outbreak of a civil war, known in the West as the Korean War. Yesterday marked the 57th anniversary of the start of the Korean War in 1950. Three years later a cease-fire agreement was finally reached and the 155 mile cease-fire line was drawn that ran from the East Sea to the Yellow Sea, which later created the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
Here troops from North Korea and South Korean and American Forces square off at the border to protect against the possible re-emerging of hostilities between the two countries. Today the zone has come to symbolize both war and peace, and division and unification.



What a surreal experience our DMZ Tour was. We left our hotel dressed in our modest, appropriate dress ( no jeans, no sandals, no short pants, no shorts, skirts, sleeveless shirts, tee-shirts etc.) that would not be seen as inflamatory towards North Korean troops and boarded the Panmunjom Tour Bus. We headed north bond for the Demilitarized Zone and Panmunjom, the dividing line between Communist North Korea and Democratic South Korea. Panmunjom is the name of the place where the truce talks were held from 1951-1953. After meeting 1,076 times in 2 years and 19 days, a lasting agreement was signed among the UN Forces, North Korean Army, and Chinese Army on July 27, 1953. Panmunjom is located at the west end of 155 mile's truce line and serves to this day as the partition site of a nation. The area is located 62 km northwest of Seoul and 215 km south of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. Officially this area is called the "Joint Security Area" and is a special area that is out of administrative control of South and North Korea. It is controlled by Joint Security Officers (South Korean or US Forces on the South side/North Korean soldiers on the North Side.)



As we approached the DMZ zone the Seoul city skyline turned into a rural, uninhabited landscape. We saw the Han River (which runs into the North before emptying into the Yellow Sea) and the barbed wire fence that cordons it off to South Koreans to prevent North Korean difection. Finally we approached the first check point. Here South Korean soldiers came on board and checked our passports. Allowing us to pass we suddenly saw the high barbed wire fences, watch towers and antitank obstacles and minefields that marks the 4km wide DMZ zone. South Korea suffered terrible in 1950 after the North invaded their country and marched all the way south to Pusan. To prevent another attack this border is the most highly fortified border in the world.

Our passports were checked once again by the JSA Officers and we were taken to Camp Bonifas for a slide show on the history of the DMZ. There have been several gun battles in Panmunjom village since the end of the war. Most recently in 1984 when a North Korean tried to defect to the South. More recent shots have been fired in other parts of the DMZ-in November 1981 and in July 2003. Because of the potential risk to tourists visiting the DMZ, we had to sign a "Visitors Declaration" which states that the US Forces and South Korean forces "cannot guarantee the safety of visitors." I loved the last part which stated, "If any incidents should occur, remain calm, and follow instructions issued by security personnel!" After the slideshow we boarded JSA buses (guarded by a South Korean JSA officer) and headed to the Freedom House-where the important diplomatic talks are still held. We were brought outside the Freedom House to take photos but all this time we were instructed NOT to point or gesture to the North Koreans. Right on the demarcation line are North and South Korean soldiers. The North soldier is facing North to prevent defection to the south and the South Korean soldiers are standing in a taekwondo stance, partially concealed behind the blue UN buildings, ready to defend against another attack from the North. We next climbed the pagoda style-building and looked over to the North side and the three UN buildings that straddle the border, where the talks are held. What made this moment quite ironic was that as we looked North we saw a Chinese tour group looking at us in the South from a large North Korean concrete building on the Northern side!

We headed next to see the South Korean border town of Daesong with has 230 residents who are given modern homes by the government along with tax-free incomes in exchange for living here along the border. The town has a tall tower with a South Korean flag on top. On the other side of the border is the North Korean "town" of Gijong. There tower with the North Korean flag atop is even taller, of course. And what makes this town unusual is the fact that all the buildings there are empty and always have been! It's a ghost town whose only function is to broadcast propaganda to anyone around for six to 12 hours a day, using ultrapower loudspeakers.


Our last stop was to the Freedom Bridge. It was a great way to end the trip. It's the Korean hope for the future. This bridge was first built in 1952 to help bring members of the peace talks to Panmunjom. It also served as a roadway for returning prisoners of war in 1953. More recently it was rebuilt as the "Grand Unification Bridge." Just a month ago, passengers were brought to the North for the first time. The hope is this bridge will begin to unite a country that has suffered from division for far too long.