On Saturday, October 23, 2010, I traveled to the DMZ (Demiliarized Zone). I am very fortunate to experience this current piece of world history and cold war. The experience was surreal and allowed me a personal perspective into the North Korean territory and mindset.
North Korea is one of those issues that we hear a lot about in the rest of the world., especially before I came to South Korea. I definetly had my reservations about this life changing experience, due to the high threats from Kim Jong-il. I asked a few South Korean aquantances their feelings about the current situation. All of my friends could not believe that I was visiting this place and had no desire to go near the DMZ. However, there are mixed feelings. Most Koreans of the older generation see nothing else but eventual reunification, but, the younger generation have various opinions.
The dress code is strict for the tour. Flip flop, shorts, tank tops, baggy clothes, torn jeans, and writing on your clothes are prohibitted. One of the first protocals that must be followed at all times.
I started my trip from the USO office in South Korea. It was about an hour drive to the first check point. It was at this point that reality struck me. I was going into an area that is heavily guarded on either side and could strike at any time. Checkpoint one and two consisted of both barbed and razor wire. There were South Korean guards on watch and a few baracades.
Once we arrived at the United States and South Korean base camp, we signed our lives away. Literally. Next, we had a briefing (with a US military rep.) and boarded another bus. This bus is kept on Camp Bonifas, where it can be searched for and deemed clean (no guns, bombs, etc.) for the tour. Our bus driver was a South Korean soldier (armed) and the tour guide was an American soldier (armed). Both of these soldiers are part of the United Nations Command military personnel.
The first stop was the MAC (Military Armistice Commission) building. This was the best part of the tour! You climb a set of stairs and walk through the building, to the outside. When you come out, you are staring at a North Korean soldier. He is atop a set of stairs directly across you. I was not able to make any eye contact, gestures, or point our cameras at him. We were briefed that he may wave, take out binoculars, and make gestures to us. We were under strict orders to not make eye contact.
These are South Korean Soldiers. They can be identified by their black armbands. The North Koreans are required to wear red arm bands to be identitfied; however, they have recently discarded this rule. Notice the position of the South Korean soldier, half covered by the building- this is to make it easier for him to duck behind the building in case of enemy fire. The soldiers are stationed here largely to aid defectors.
Next, we went into the building were the North and South Koreans and United Nations representatives hold their meetings. The main table splits the south and north side (right down the middle). There are two South Korean Soldiers who stand in a tense, statue like state. One guards the left window, the other the door that leads to the south. They stand at this post on one hour shifts 24 hours a day. There are also mini flags in a glass display case and a plastic UN flag on the table. They were put there, when the North Koreans decided to shine their shoes and blow their noses in the real ones. I actually stood in North Korea!
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| Bridge of no Return |
The Bridge of No Return runs next to the Military Demarcation Line. After the Armistice Agreement in 1953, prisoners of war from both sides were exchanged on this bridge. The name came from the fact that the prisoners of war who voluntarily chose to go to North Korea instead of staying in the South would be unable to return to South Korea
The large pole in the background is a giant flagpole at the North Korean Propaganda Village. The North Koreans originally built a small flag pole; however the South Koreans built a larger flag pole. To show the mentality of the North, the had to "out show" the south and erected a giant flag pole. Although amusing, the village reinforces the grim reality of the country.
The reality of the current situation between the North and the South struck me when I went to see the third tunnel. As with many sites around the tour, photographs are prohibetted, so I do not have a photo of the tunnel. Four major tunnels were found in the 1970s, all allegedly built by the North Koreans (which the North vehemently denies). Its funny though, because when you walk through the tunnel, you can see the dynamite holes that face toward the south (proving the north built the tunnels). The tunnels are wide enough for several soldiers to walk and some are wide enough for tanks. Military analysts speculated that the tunnels were intended for a second sneak attack by the North Koreans, allowing them to move large numbers of tanks, troops, and supplies under the DMZ completely undetected.
You need to be in great shape when going into the tunnel. It is a long walk deep into the ground. You need to wear a helmet, because the ceiling is low and you will bump your head. After a long walk, you come to the end. It has three baracades to stop the north from penetrating. It is a little scary, because the end is blocked with razor wire. Don't slip on the wet ground into the razor wire! The walk up is rough. It is a sharp incline and I broke a sweat. Little did I know that you can take a tram up! Go Figure. Oh yeah, I drank north korean spring water from inside the cave. I didn't get sick, so I guess it was ok.
North Korea. Photgraphs are stictly prohibitted on this observation deck. You can only take photographs from inside the yellow square (hence, the far away photo). If you take a photograph outside of the designated area, the South Korean soldiers confiscate your camera and erase all of the photos! However, I did sneak a few photos.
Among the main highlights, I saw the world's most dangerous golf course. It is a one hole golf course, surrounded by land mines on all sides. The Pagoda at Freedom House, The sunken Garden, Check Point 3, and the 1976 Ax Murder Incident. The most gruesome of which was the site of the 1976 Ax Murder Incident. The incident is as follows:
A tall poplar tree was near the UNC checkpoint 3 and the Bridge of No Return. The tree limited visibility in the direction of checkpoint 4 for the soldiers working at checkpoint 3. So, five South Korean civilian workers were dispatched to trim the tree under the supervison of a UNC guard force.
Suddenly, two North Korean officers and dozens of KPA soldiers appeared demanding that they should stop the trimming. When the workers continued and ignored the request, another group of North Korean guard forces arrived by truck and began attacking the South Korean workers and soldiers by wielding clubs and axes. During the incident, the JSA Company Commander, Captain Arthur Bonifas, and First Platoon Leader, First Lieutenant Mark Barrett, were brutally axed to death by North Koreans.
What a great Trip!
