13th of November - DMZ

Today was an early start - we found ourselves ready to go in the lobby at 0600, and on time we trotted out to the bus and headed north. An hour later in light traffic (while the southbound traffic towards Seoul wasn't nearly as light) we arrived at the main entry to the DMZ, the Imjingak Tourist Information Center. The point of getting there so early was that our guide could get in line to convert his permission to tickets as the first group so we wouldn't have to wait longer than necessary - and it succeeded; there were no other tourists around than us. The parking lot was completely empty. We were placed into one of the restaurants that was already open and had breakfast served while he went down to stand in line.

We had our breakfast, he got our tickets, and at 0940 we got on to the first (of 11 during the day) shuttle busses that would take us around to the different places. Though not before our guide led us around the area where we got to see the freedom bridge (where the North and South exchanged POWs after the Korean war), destroyed train line and various monuments. The destroyed train line was technically a short bit of train tracks with a destroyed locomotive placed onto it; it was the last train to cross the border bringing supplies to the US soldiers in what now is North Korea, and trying to get back to safety they had to abandon it and destroy it to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.

 

Freedom bridge.

 

Train used for bringing supplies to US troops.

From here we went to the first stop on the tour; the 3rd tunnel; a tunnel that the South had found the North had been digging in an attempt to mount a surprise attack. The reason for the name is that it was the 3rd tunnel the South found (you didn't expect that, did you?) out of 4 that the North had been digging, theory being they wanted to get to Seoul unnoticed (tunnel no. 3 is less than 50km from Seoul). There is an expectation that there may be more - even many more - tunnels around, but as the North changed tactics with the introduction of nuclear armory the South saw no reason to continue using resources on finding these tunnels. The first 3-400 meters was a steady steep 10-ish % decline, the South's intercept tunnel, reaching the bottom where you then walked app. 300 meters in a low tunnel, reaching the end - the 1st of 3 blockades preventing you from reaching the border (the blockade is basically a concrete wall with a small window letting you see the other walls). Standing at the blockade we were only 179 meter from the border - the closest you'd ever get. Then you returned the same way back and up again. Before starting the walk you had to put bags, phones and empty your pockets and put everything in a locker as photography was not allowed in the tunnel (and anything the metal detector reacted on was also deemed not bring-able). Then you donned a hard hat before starting the descent - and while it seemed silly on the way down as there was a high ceiling and plenty of space, the horizontal tunnel was a different story; you could constantly hear throughout heavy donks when people didn't bend enough and therefore hit their heads on the low rocky ceiling.

Bridge to the north.

Apart from the tunnel there was a small building where we were shown an 8 minute documentary about the ordeal and it was like no documentary I had ever seen. Heavy thumping music for soundtrack as taken from a military propaganda video while exposing the viewer to short flashing videos showing the history behind the DMZ. Then it could switch to calm visuals showing how wildlife flourished in the DMZ without humans around with nice quiet classical music in the background and BAM - back to hard heavy thumping music and more conflict heavy imagery. That happened a couple of times and it felt so surreal. The contrast was so drastic and out of the blue it almost gave you whiplash.

Statue showing a halved globe where North and South Korea are indented on opposite sides,
making the two sides fit perfectly together.

From here we were brought to the Dorasan Observatory where you could look out and into North Korea - both from a large theater with huge panoramic windows and from the roof where they had lined up telescopes. From here you could see the fake villages the North had build, the famous (?) flagpole with the large North Korean flag waving, among other things. Unfortunately visibility today wasn't the best so seeing anything across the border posed a bit of a challenge. Unfortunately this was also a place where photography was forbidden, though I couldn't help think that it was a great - and in a way slightly surreal - view that easily could carry a few photos. But I wasn't up for testing the security and seeing how much I could get away with before getting tackled by soldiers and carted off.

The Peace Bell.

In the end we visited Unification Village, the only village in the area, for a short bit before returning to our starting position. At this point it had become noon and we got an hour to have lunch before returning to Seoul. The visit to the DMZ was interesting - especially due to the reason why it's there. The restrictive photo rules made it hard to document much of it, but in a way I understand. While it seemed quite relaxed on the surface, all soldiers at the checkpoints along the way (passports where checked and cross referenced with their tourist lists of the day) looked quite young, there was an energy in the air, combined with the information plaques and videos, indicating that this is fucking serious business. Apparently it is also the best guarded and watched border in the world, with app. one million troops combined along the border. So while it may look easy going for tourists it is far from that.

I was a bit disappointed that the tour didn't include the JSA - Joint Security Area - which is the place everyone have seen photos from; the square blue buildings where very serious looking military guards are walking around and posted looking down along buildings. Unfortunately due to security issues they have limited access to visitors so it was naturally not part of the tour. Bummer.

Returning to Seoul we visited the war memorial before returning to the hotel. My 2-week tour is apparently two different tours combined, so after today we will only be 6 that continues down through western South Korea, 6 flies to Osaka to continue their our, while the remaining 4 will be going home. We 6 who will continue west/south joined the welcome meeting in the evening together with the 9 new people who will be joining us.

Big thanks to Leah, Ashley, Amy, Daniel & Trish, Tanya, Sam, Nathalie & Sonja and Dieter for being excellent tour mates and company this past week. I hope we will have the opportunity to meet again some time, even you are spread out from Hawaii to Australia.