On a rainy Saturday in Korea I set off to see one of the last relics of the Cold War, Korea’s Demilitarized Zone or DMZ.

I opted for an organised trip run by the USO (United Service Organisation Inc) because they’re linked to the American military and I’d heard this was the best way to see it.

The bus departed Seoul early on Saturday morning with the rain gently tapping on the windows, the bus was quiet as people caught up on sleep or reflected on the fragile peace that remains between North and South Korea.

The DMZ was born when the Korean war ended on June 25th 1950. No peace agreement has even been reached and the two countries remain technically at war. Following a cease in hostilities in 1950 the North and South negotiated, and after signing of the Armistice Agreement in 1953, designated a DMZ two kilometers away form the truce line of either side of the border. The agreement directs that North and South Korea should stay out of each others land, sea and air space. But reoccurring violations by the North mean there is a constant need for vigilance along the DMZ.

The DMZ is a no mans land riddled with land mines running 151 miles from coast to coast along the military demarcation line or MDL that separates the two countries. According to South Korea this land that represents so many lost lives and has lain largely undisturbed for the last four decades has now become a wildlife haven providing homes for many endangered species.

The DMZ tour started at Camp Bonifas the US army post closest to the joint security area or JSA. Our passports were checked by military personnel before we were driven into the base told to leave all or belongings other than cameras and drinks on the tour bus and boarded a military bus for the tour of the JSA.

The bus drove us first Ballinger Hall on Camp Bonifas where we were given a briefing about what lay ahead.

Before arriving at Ballinger Hall the solider on our bus joked about signing a declaration saying the Americans weren’t responsible if we were shot by a North Korean guard. We laughed along unaware he wasn’t joking! Reading the declaration we had to sign was a stark remainder that we were entering what was technically a war zone, all be it a peaceful one.

The declaration absolved the American military of responsibility should we be wounded or fatally injured during the tour. Although they assured us if anything did happen they would do their best to protect us! We were not to point gesture or otherwise communicate with any North Korean guards or engage in any act that could be used in propaganda against the South. And amongst other things we were only to take photos in permitted areas otherwise we could compromise the security of South Korea. It was serious stuff!

The first stop on the tour of the JSA was Panmunjeom. Panmunjeom is a village just 800 meters in diameter and outside the administrative control of either country. It stretches across the MDL. It was here that the 1951 peace talks were held, and in 1953, after the signing of the Armistices Agreement, it was designated the joint security area. The UN and North Korea each operate six guard posts in Panmunjeom where 35 security guards reside.

The bus stopped outside Freedom House where we were told to disembark bringing nothing but our cameras, outside their cases, and form two single file lines. We were lead inside Freedom house, lined up on the stairs and given strict instructions about how to conduct ourselves, told to stay in our lines and not to take any photographs whilst moving.

The building was huge but empty with very little furnishing. It had an eery feel making you conscious of the guards standing motionless at every door.

Still in our lines we were lead out of the building across a road they ironically call Reunification Way and straight into a blue hut type building that resembled a temporary classroom.

This building is where reunification talks have been held. The MDL runs right through the middle of the building and is marked by a line of permanently recording microphones in the middle of the negotiation table. As you enter you are standing in South Korea, but cross to the other side of the room and you have entered the North.

On the wall on the South Korean side of the building are some plastic flags. The soldier conducting our tour told us they used to be material flags until two North Korea guards came into the building took the South Korean and American flags off the wall and proceeded to blow their noses and clean their boots with them. After the incident the flags were replaced with plastic flags to prevent a similar event in the future.

We were allowed to walk freely around the room in the presence of two menacing looking South Korean guards. Their uniform included sunglasses, to make them look more intimidating and in the bottom of their trousers they have ball bearings so when they walk it sounds like there are more of them than there actually are.

The guards in the room stood motionless and expressionless as we milled around, it was possible to walk close to them and have our picture taken but we were told that we were not to touch them or try and walk behind them unless we wanted to be physically stopped and thrown off the tour!

This room is the only place in the JSA where North and South Korean guards are able to cross the MDL. They used to be able to cross over the MDL anywhere in the JSA; but since the Axe Murder Incident (that I will come to in a bit) guards have been forbidden from crossing over to each others side.

After we had looked around we reformed our single file lines and walked back to the door of Freedom House. There was an area on top of the steps to the building where we could walk around but were not to go past either end of the building entrance or attempt to walk down the steps.

Here we got our only glimpse of a North Korean guard. He was stood in front of the main North Korean building called Panmun-Gak, the Americans call him Bob!

Whilst standing in front of Freedom House we heard a raised voice from the solider. Some guy who hadn’t heeded the numerous warnings we were given had lit a cigarette in full view of the North Koreans. The response form he soldier was stern and the guy was confined to the bus for the remainder of the trip.

Our second stop on tour was on observation post surrounded by North Korea on three sides. From here we were able to get our first glimpse into the communist North.

We could see the North Korean village of Gijeong-dong or Kijŏng-dong (기정동) also know as “Propaganda Village” by the UN and “Peace Village” by North Korea. The village attracted its UN name because loud speakers could be heard broadcasting propaganda to the village for as long as 20 hours a day. However according to American military there are only “caretaker” residents in the village despite claims to the contrary by the North:

Kijŏng-dong has the largest flag pole in the world stretching 160 meters into the sky and flying 300-pound (136 kilogram) national flag. The flag pole wasn’t always the tallest in the world but built after the neighbouring village of Daeseong-dong (대성동) in South Korea built its flag pole taller than the one in Kijŏng-dong the North Korean’s  extended their pole. The image of theses two flag poles stretching into the sky raised a chuckle from the crowd during the briefing.

Kijŏng-dong was built after the North negotiated provisions for a town inside the DMZ because the South already had one, Daeseong-dong.

Daeseong-dong is the only civilian town in the Southern side of the DMZ, the MDL lies just 40 yards form the village. Daeseong-dong is strictly controlled by the Korean government, one must have ancestral connection dating back to before the Korean war to live there, this keeps the village population very small. Residents must also reside in the village for more than 280 days each year to maintain their residency and they must abide by an 11pm curfew. However residents are exempt from military conscription and they don’t pay taxes.

Sine the war Daeseong-dong has continuously flown a South Korean flag from its large flag pole with one exception. When the Seoul Olympics were held the Olympic committee managed to get an Olympic flag to the village and for the duration of the games it was flown form their flag pole. The flag could be clearly seen in the North and contradicted propaganda by the North who had told its citizens the games had been cancelled.

After peering across the border wondering what really goes on in Kijŏng-dong we moved on to the monument commemorating the Axe Murder Incident of 1976 an incident that is said to have almost sparked world war three!

On August 18th 1976 two American soldiers were murdered by axe wielding North Korean guards as they and a team of men attempted to trim the branches of a tree that was blocking the line of view between a United Nations check point and an observation post.

Today a monument marks the spot where the tree once stood.

From almost the same spot were were able to get a look at the bridge of no return. This bridge acquired its name when prisoners were released after the Korean war. They were taken to the bridge and could choose to remain on the side of their captivity or cross to other side, but once they’d made their decision they could never return.

The bridge marked the end of the tour and were were driven back to the tour bus via the Camp Bonfias gift shop where there were loads of wonderfully tacky DMZ and JSA souvenirs. You could even buy some barbed wire from the DMZ fence!

Out next stop was the Dora Observation Platform. Through binoculars this is supposed to offer one of the closest views of North Korea you can get.  It was a shame that the weather was so bad we just stared into a white haze barely able to make out the trees in front of us.

The final stop of the tour was the third tunnel. Inside the DMZ four tunnels built by North Korea to launch an attack on the South have been found and it is claimed there could be six more waiting to be discovered. The third tunnel was built just 44 kilometres form Seoul sparking claims it was built to launch a surprise attack on the South Korean capital.

The entrance to the tunnel was a 300 meter walk down a steep incline. Inside the the dark, damp tunnel stretched all the way to the MDL where the tunnel has been barricaded. Although there was a door at the end and looking closely you could make out lights behind the door. It makes one wonder who could have been sat behind that door and what they could be thinking as hundreds of tourists flocked to the tunnel.

When the tunnel was discovered in 1978 the North claimed it was a coal mine and “painted” the inside of the tunnel with coal. If you rub you finger against the wall the black “paint” will rub off on your hands.

After looking at the tunnel we were ushered across the road into a theater and shown a video of shameless propaganda. The video explained that the DMZ is a symbol of reunification and hope for the future. A stark contract to the images of death and unsolvable conflict we had bared witness to all day!

Wondering how anyone can perceive a 151 mile DMZ surrounded my military personnel and constantly on the look out for the next attack as a symbol of peace and hope for the future we boarded the bus back to Seoul. And with a greater understand of the conflict that divided the Koreas I could tick off another of the things I had to do before I leave South Korea.

Despite the weather being bad it was a rare privilege to get even the briefest glimpse into a country that prohibits entry to civilians except in special cases. Whilst after forty years you still can’t cross the border between the two Koreas there is hope as according to the BBC website today (17/05/2007) the “two Koreas will run trains across their border for the first time since the war.”

More photos can be found here.

* Posted by j150vsc on 17/05/2007.
* 1 comment