DMZ

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is the boader that seperates North and South Korea. It is 4 km wide (2km to the North and 2 km to the South) surrounded by guards, barbed wire, elecric fences and even mines. On Sunday, I got the experience to visit this inconceivable divison.




The first stop was Imjingak which is as far North as civilians can go by themselves without permission. Here the Freedom Bridge was used in exchanging prisioners after the Korean War. It is filled with messages wishing for peace and unification between the two Koreas. The second picture depicts the freedom that is wished for and the conflict that is in existance.


The Freedom Bridge

The Contrast of the two Koreas

Throughout the 1970's and 1980's tunnels were built under the DMZ to overtake South Korea by the North. The 3rd tunnel was discovered in 1978 and is 2m wide, 2m high and 1635m in length. At a descent of 300m and a 15 degree angle, it is a workout to get back up! No pictures were allowed to be taken in the tunnel. The floor of the tunnel is covered with rubber mats and and the walls with charcoal to give the impression that the tunnel was part of an abandoned mine. IT was easy to see that the tunnel was dug by North Koreans as you could see the direction of the yellow paint used in marking the explosives was pointed towards the South.

The Dora Observatory allows a view of the DMZ and into north Korea. Binoculars can be used to observe North Korea, but no pictures are allowed! There is a yellow line that is called the photo line and no pictures can be taken beyond this line. This is a strict policy and the guards are on the look out! Inside the DMZ, there are two small villages, one belonging to the South and one belonging to the North. The people who live here are few and want to be here, as it is thier way of life. And such are paid compensation for living in such a dangerous area. North Korean and South Korea flags are flown in each village respectively. The village of North Korea is an empty one and is known as a propaganda village. It is designed to give outsiders the impression that North Korea is a prosperous nation.

The Photo Line

The Only Photo ever allowed of North Korea!!