A Trip to the DMZ

This past Saturday Brian and I got the chance to go on a tour of the DMZ (DeMilitarized Zone) with a group of people from the church. It was SUPER interesting! I loved learning about the history between the two countries and actually getting to experience it. The tour is a bit of a tourist trap but they still take everything VERY seriously. We were escorted by military personnel through the whole trip and were only allowed to take pictures at certain points and of certain things only. 

Our first stop was a park very close to the north and south border called Imjingak. Many South Koreans visit the park to pay tribute and well wishes for their family members who are in North Korea. There are tons of ribbons that pay tribute to family members and a table to place gifts for loved ones on. In the park there was also a bridge called the 'Bridge of Freedom'. The bridge was used at the end of the war to exchange POW's. There was also an observatory tower with some binoculars to check out the North Korean guard towers just a bit North. Looking into the guard towers we're pretty sure the North had set up some cardboard cutout soldiers... Those guys didn't move or anything, they looked way to perfect to be real... 

 Looking at Freedom Bridge

 Memorial Alter

 Stones of Peace- They had a stone from the revolution in Quebec

 Ribbons for separated family members

 Spying on the North

A destroyed train from the Korean war (I think it was a Russian train)

From the park we headed into the panmunjom area. This is where the Armstice was signed and where the border is. To get there we had to go through a few checkstops where South Korean military came on the bus and checked our passports and clothing (they have a strict dress code). After a quick briefing and history of the panmunjom area we headed to the JSA (Joint Security Area). We headed into the MAC building where they had meetings with both sides. There was a table down the middle and when you crossed to the far side of the table you were technically in North Korea. There was two South Korean Soldiers in the room to stand guard and they sure looked ready to attack!

 We were told we were allowed to take pictures with the soldiers but to not stand too close, touch them or  go behind them...

Standing outside the buildings you could see the border (a strip of concrete) and the North Korean building as well as a North Korean Soldier. The whole time we were outside the buildings looking towards the North there was about 5 or 6 South Korean soldiers keeping guard. They were only on guard because we were there, it was pretty neat and intense.

Standing at the border looking towards the North

(The blue buildings are neutral security buildings and the gray building in the distance is North Korea)

North Korean soldier spying on us

Next we drove over to the Bridge of No Return. This bridge was used for prisoner exchanges during and after the war. Prisoners were brought to the bridge and were given the chance of going back home or staying on that side. Many North Korean POW's chose to stay in the South. The bridge is no longer guarded by South Korean soldiers but North Koreans still guard their post on the North side. 

The Bridge of No Return

 Tough guy Brian

 Brian and his new friend, our military escort

Overall the tour was super informative and pretty intense. To think that these two countries are STILL at war and yet they let people come visit this military zone was pretty crazy. It was interesting to really see and hear information about what goes on between the two countries. It made everything just a bit  more real.