War Zones and Broken Promises.

Dear Mom, 
I know I when I left for South Korea I promised I wouldn't do it; but, I did  it and it was pretty sweet. Forgive me?

사랑하는,
Emily

For those who do not share 50% of my DNA, the 'it' in question is also a partial answer to the trivia questions in my last two posts.

I will give you the answers and a clue.
You see if you can guess what I did last weekend.

According to his own statements during interviews, Kim Jong Il has the largest personal DVD collection in the world, numbering over one point five million. He also got eleven holes-in-one the first time he ever played golf. (source: U.S. Military guide) (image source.)

Do you know the answer??? If, perhaps, my verbal smoke screen was too thick to penetrate, I will help you out. Last weekend Amanda and I made a long overdue trip to the DMZ, or the Demilitarized Zone dividing North and South Korea ( officially the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea). In doing so, I also broke the only promise I made to my mother before coming to Korea; but, to be fair, I told her months ago I was going to do it. Sorry Mom!!

For those unfamiliar with the situation over here on the peninsula, a brief history lesson can be found here. I am way to tired to type it all out.

So, where does that leave us? Well, with us referring to Amanda and I, it leaves us waking up at 5:30 a.m. in a Hongdae Jimmjilbang. Although we had both made the trek to Seoul the previous night, the 7 a.m. check in time for our USO tour still required a groggy morning subway ride across the city. So, after changing out of our Jimmji jumpsuits and grabbing some much needed caffeine from a coffee shop just closing up for the night (morning??), we hopped on the subway and made it to the USO office with time to spare. We had both signed up at the last minute, after learning some friends were already registered for the trip; but, in an slight complication to the plan, they actually ended up assigned to a tour leaving 30 minutes later than ours. Thankfully, we were both assigned to the same bus and were able to enjoy a lovely day in the warzone with a travel buddy. We did get drive by hugs outside of the 3rd tunnel, for what its worth.

Our first reminder that North and South Korea are very much still at war came even sooner than expected. Given the overall lack of a car in my life the last ten months, my views of Seoul have been restricted to those afforded by the subway, my own two feet, and the view from Namsan Tower. This being the case, I've never before noticed the tall barbed wire fences flanking the Han River, which divides Seoul north from south and runs south from the DMZ. Apparently the fences were constructed in the late 60's after a group of North Korean operatives were able to sneak into South Korea by walking on the frozen river and made it nearly all the way to Seoul before being apprehended. It is believed the DPRK soldiers were attempting an attack on the South Korean 'Blue House' (presidential) district. Ever since, the fences have been in place, along with manned watch posts hundred yards or so, in order to protect against further infiltration via the river.

The first official stop on the tour was Camp Bonifas and the JSA, or Joint Security Area, which lies directly over the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) dividing the North and South. After joining our U.S. Military tour guide, and signing a waiver declaring that if we died it was our own fault for coming (yikes.. but true) we were led through the South Korean Freedom house into the JSA. This is the area where South and North Korean soldiers stand on edge, about 100 feet from each other, at all times. It is also a "neutral ground" of sorts were official talks between the two nations are held. Before leaving the freedom house we were given strict instructions against any eye contact or communication with the North Korean side (just in case we were fancied a chat) as well as turning our backs towards the North Korean boarder, entering any of the buildings controlled by NK (no thanks), leaving the two lines we were instructed to stand in, and/or gesturing in the direction of NK or any of the buildings. Our vision was also directed to the North Korean soldier peering at us through a pair of binoculars, and the drawn curtain revealing the location of cameras used to take pictures of all soldiers and visitors on the South Korean side. Now I'm in the books and can probably never visit North Korea. Shit. I'll add that to the list of places I can't go because I have an Israeli stamp in my passport. Looks like my North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen tour is canceled.

I digress..the JSA is basically the most tense and intense place I have ever been. And justifiably so. On the tour I learned about various incidents that have occured in the JSA and greater DMZ, since the 'end' of the Korean War. Such incidents include (but are not limited to) a firefight which insued after a Russian citizen attempted to defect from the North Korean side by sprinting over the MDL while on a North Korean tour and a pair of North Korean soldiers attempting to pull a South Korean soldier out of the conference room door onto their side of the MDL, as he attempted to unlock the door after a tour.

 

With a South Korean solder, but, on the North Korean side of the MDL

After the JSA, we drove to a lookout point, where we were surrounded on three sides by North Korea. From there we were able to look out at Kijong-dong, North Korea's "Propaganda Village" filled with empty buidlings and boasting what was once the worlds longest flagpole. A while back, KJI got mad that the flagpole and flag in South Korea's "Freedom Village" was larger than his and ordered the construction of a 160m flagpole to support a 600 pound DPRK flag. Unfortunately the wind was not blowing so we didn't get to see the flag. What can you do?

 

After the Kijong-dong look out we passed the 1976 "Axe Murder" site commemorating the place where two South Korean soldiers trying to prune the trees (on their side of the MDL) in order the increase visibility between their lookouts, were brutally axed to death by North Korean Soldiers.  We also went to the "Bridge of No Return" where POWs where exchanged in 1953.  The POWs were given a choice to remain in their country of captivity or to cross over the bridge into the other country. Once the POWs made their decision, it was understood that they could never return to the other country, hence the name.

After Camp Bonifas, we got on the bus and headed to the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel, which we were able to climb through for about 300m (on the South Korea side only). These tunnels, in concept and reality, are actually pretty terrifying. The armistice agreement between  North and South Korea was signed in 1953. Basically, from that point onward, North and South Korea were to be divided along the MDL and stop attacking one and other. North Korea, as it turns out, doesn't really like the play by the rules. There have been several attacks, or attempted attacks, on South Korea by the North (the most recent being this fall),  though the North flatly denies or insists all such attacks were the result of prior South Korean provocation. Since the armistice, and with the help a few key North Korean defectors, South Korea has discovered four subterrainean tunnels reaching from North Korea, through the DMZ, and into South Korea. Based on the proximity and direction of the tunnels, it is believed the intended purpose was an attack on Seoul. The North, after finally admitting they had created them, insists they were for coal mining. As it turns out, the tunnels were blasted through solid granite rock. The walls were later smeared with a thin layer of charcoal in order to corroborate the mining explanation.  One tunnel was discovered accidentally by a South Korean army patrol in 1974. Since that first discovery, the South has discovered three additional tunnels. It is believed, however, that there are up to 17 tunnels in total, the bulk of which obviously remain hidden. Which is Insane. Also, terrifying considering it is estimated that up to 2,000 DPRK soldiers could pass into South Korea, and further into Seoul within one hour.

After an anti climatic visit to the Dora observatory (it was too hazy to see into another North Korean village and check out one of the 34,000+ golden statues of Kim Il Sung positioned around the country. The statue which can be viewed from the observatory is 20 m tall) we headed to the last stop on the tour, Dorasan Station. Dorasan, while not currently in use, is the last stop on the South Korean railway, which could potentially link the South with Pyeongyang and the rest of North Korea. Actually, if the two countries do manage to reunite (something that many South Koreans claim to pray for) or, if they  peacefully end the worlds longest war, this line would eventually link the Southernmost point of the peninsula with the Tran-Siberian Railway. Essentially one could ride the train from Busan, SK, into Russia, and all the way through Europe. Pretty Rad. At the present, however, the fully functional and modern station is used for tourism purposes only. Though, even in the present state of tension, hope remains that on day citizens willy ride freely throughout a united peninsula.

 

Dorisan Station was the final stop on our tour as well. The whole day was really, educational and eye-opening.  I learned a lot about the history of the DMZ and the events that have occurred there over the last sixty years. Though I do recognize that, even though all signs point to Dear Leader being off the charts totally insane, the information I was given came from the mouths of South Korea and the United States - not exactly impartial sources. Even though the JSA was a little nerve wracking (especially after signing my in case of death waiver) the whole day was very informative, and totally safe. It is definitely a must do for anyone coming to Korea (don't let your parents convince you otherwise ^.^) and really gave me a better understanding of the situation between the two countries. I can never pretend to understand the pain of families separated by the Korean War and resulting demarcation, nor the realities of life for those living in North Korea. I can't even imagine living within the restrictions placed on those in the "Freedom Village" the only South Korean village within the DMZ. But, after spending a year in this country, and now having seen the DMZ with my own eyes, I truly hope for a solution that benefits both the South and North Korean citizens (not governments). Hopefully one day there will be permanent peace between North and South Korea, be it through reunification, or a truly and completely peaceful and respectful separation. At present, however, it seems the leadership in North Korea is more concerned about itself, than its people or its neighbors to the South.

Lesson? If you come to Korea, go to the DMZ. But, remember not to point at the North Korean's. KJI doesn't like when people make fun of him.


Anyeong[hikheseyo].
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