(no subject)
So this weekend was pretty awesome. First I got my hair cut really short at a great salon in Seoul. I always forget how much I like my hair when it's short, yet I always inexplicably let it grow out long and hate it 70% of the time. Then I get it cut and love it again. It's a terrible cycle. I also finally accomplished my goal of hooking up on foreign soil, which was fantastic, although he was Chinese and not Korean, so I might have to seduce a Korean guy before I leave, too.
But the most interesting thing that I did was take a DMZ tour. It was an all-day affair but totally worth it. Now for your history lesson.
The first place that we went on the tour was the "third tunnel." In the 70s, the North Koreans started digging tunnels in order to invade South Korea. A total of four were discovered, but only one was a significant way into South Korea, the third one that they found. They closed off part of the tunnel, but they left part of it open and turned it into a museum type of thing. In order to get to the tunnel, which is 100 meters below the ground, you have to take a train ride down. And by "train" I mean something that closely resembles a three seat across rollercoaster car. Then it takes you down a tiny tunnel that is barely wide enough to fit the train through. We had to wear hard hats. Everything about the experience screamed instant death, but it was really interesting anyway. Once we were in the actual part that the North Koreans had dug, we were able to walk around and check it out. There was a lot of water leaking in, which also seemed dangerous. The most interesting thing was that when the North Koreans retreated, the painted the walls with coal so they could claim that it was an old coal mine, an explanation which the South Koreans obviously didn't buy. We weren't allowed to take pictures in the tunnel, but it was still really interesting.
Then we went to an observatory where SK soldiers constantly watch North Korea. Luckily it was a clear day and we could see several North Korean cities. For some reason, we weren't allowed to take pictures over the ledge, but there was a designated photo line:
After the observatory, we went to a memorial park. It is very difficult for South Koreans to get approval to go into the DMZ, so this park is the closest they can get. It's fairly near the border, but still well outside of the DMZ. The Freedom Bridge is located there, and many Koreans write notes and hang them on the bridge with wishes of reunification of the peninsula.
Next we went even closer to the DMZ, to the train station where the first train from North Korea and South Korea ran recently. It was really bizarre, because it was a fully functional train station with no trains. The train that ran between the two Koreas was mostly symbolic, and nobody knows when/if more trains will start running, but there is a ticket counter, resting area, platform, x-ray machines, and everything, all ready to go.
Next, we went into the DMZ/JSA after stopping in Camp Bonifas. The actual border of North and South Korea is the Military Demarcation Line at the 38th parallel, but the DMZ is sort of a buffer zone between the two countries. DMZ is hardly a demilitarized zone though, because there are soldiers on both sides of the parallel and the DMZ is chock full of landmines. The JSA is the Joint Security Area, which is regulated by the United Nations. It sits within the DMZ right on the border. To get in, we had to be a resident of a handful of countries, and we had multiple passport checks. We were also not allowed to point at ANYTHING, wave, speak loudly, wear jeans, t-shirts, or sandals, or take pictures without permission.
Once inside the JSA, we went to the Military Armistice Commission buildings, which is where strategic North/South talks take place. Once inside the building, we were able to take pictures, and step onto North Korean territory briefly.
That last picture might not look like much, but that big slab of concrete marks the border of North and South Korea. South Korea is on the right side, and North Korea is on the left, which means I was standing in North Korea when I took the picture. It was all very interesting, but we weren't allowed to touch anything or basically have any individual action at all. Next we stepped outside of the building, and went into the Freedom House, where we were allowed to take a few more pictures.
Here's the North Korean Panmunjon building.
There was a soldier standing outside, and he was the only North Korean we saw during the trip.
Here's looking backwards from Panmunjon.
The little memorial in front used to be a garden. But in 1984, a Soviet man tried to defect from North Korea by making a mad dash into South Korea. A firefight broke out, and several soldiers from both sides were killed. Following our visit to the Panmunjon, we were allowed to take a few pictures looking out into the DMZ.
This picture is interesting for several reasons. The village you see is the North Korean propaganda village of Kijong-dong. Nobody lives in the village, but it used to broadcast propaganda 24/7. South Korea also has a village located inside the DMZ, but it actually has people living in it. It's called the Freedom Village, and there are 200-some people living there, all who farm a small area of land inside the DMZ, mostly rice and ginseng. They don't have to pay taxes, serve in the military, and are quite wealthy, although they live in the most dangerous area of South Korea. They must also have to have all of their lights out by midnight. A while back, the Freedom Village erected a large, 100 meter tall flagpole. In response, the propaganda village made their own flagpole that is 160 meters high, and it's the highest flagpole in the world.
There used to be a tree where this memorial stands:
Prior to the 70s, the JSA had no border, and within that small area, North and South Korean soldiers could cross the border freely and talk to each other. But in 1976, two American soldiers were cutting down a poplar tree which obstructed their view of the North when 30 North Korean soldiers ganged up on them and killed them with their own axes. A huge fight broke out which resulted in several deaths. After that, the border became strictly enforced, even in the JSA, although there are no fences that mark the border, only several signs.
And thus concludes today's history lesson. I had to sign a waver stating that it wasn't the fault of the United Nations if I got shot while I was in the DMZ, so I also filled my imminent death quota for the year.
But the most interesting thing that I did was take a DMZ tour. It was an all-day affair but totally worth it. Now for your history lesson.
The first place that we went on the tour was the "third tunnel." In the 70s, the North Koreans started digging tunnels in order to invade South Korea. A total of four were discovered, but only one was a significant way into South Korea, the third one that they found. They closed off part of the tunnel, but they left part of it open and turned it into a museum type of thing. In order to get to the tunnel, which is 100 meters below the ground, you have to take a train ride down. And by "train" I mean something that closely resembles a three seat across rollercoaster car. Then it takes you down a tiny tunnel that is barely wide enough to fit the train through. We had to wear hard hats. Everything about the experience screamed instant death, but it was really interesting anyway. Once we were in the actual part that the North Koreans had dug, we were able to walk around and check it out. There was a lot of water leaking in, which also seemed dangerous. The most interesting thing was that when the North Koreans retreated, the painted the walls with coal so they could claim that it was an old coal mine, an explanation which the South Koreans obviously didn't buy. We weren't allowed to take pictures in the tunnel, but it was still really interesting.
Then we went to an observatory where SK soldiers constantly watch North Korea. Luckily it was a clear day and we could see several North Korean cities. For some reason, we weren't allowed to take pictures over the ledge, but there was a designated photo line:
After the observatory, we went to a memorial park. It is very difficult for South Koreans to get approval to go into the DMZ, so this park is the closest they can get. It's fairly near the border, but still well outside of the DMZ. The Freedom Bridge is located there, and many Koreans write notes and hang them on the bridge with wishes of reunification of the peninsula.
Next we went even closer to the DMZ, to the train station where the first train from North Korea and South Korea ran recently. It was really bizarre, because it was a fully functional train station with no trains. The train that ran between the two Koreas was mostly symbolic, and nobody knows when/if more trains will start running, but there is a ticket counter, resting area, platform, x-ray machines, and everything, all ready to go.
Next, we went into the DMZ/JSA after stopping in Camp Bonifas. The actual border of North and South Korea is the Military Demarcation Line at the 38th parallel, but the DMZ is sort of a buffer zone between the two countries. DMZ is hardly a demilitarized zone though, because there are soldiers on both sides of the parallel and the DMZ is chock full of landmines. The JSA is the Joint Security Area, which is regulated by the United Nations. It sits within the DMZ right on the border. To get in, we had to be a resident of a handful of countries, and we had multiple passport checks. We were also not allowed to point at ANYTHING, wave, speak loudly, wear jeans, t-shirts, or sandals, or take pictures without permission.
Once inside the JSA, we went to the Military Armistice Commission buildings, which is where strategic North/South talks take place. Once inside the building, we were able to take pictures, and step onto North Korean territory briefly.
That last picture might not look like much, but that big slab of concrete marks the border of North and South Korea. South Korea is on the right side, and North Korea is on the left, which means I was standing in North Korea when I took the picture. It was all very interesting, but we weren't allowed to touch anything or basically have any individual action at all. Next we stepped outside of the building, and went into the Freedom House, where we were allowed to take a few more pictures.
Here's the North Korean Panmunjon building.
There was a soldier standing outside, and he was the only North Korean we saw during the trip.
Here's looking backwards from Panmunjon.
The little memorial in front used to be a garden. But in 1984, a Soviet man tried to defect from North Korea by making a mad dash into South Korea. A firefight broke out, and several soldiers from both sides were killed. Following our visit to the Panmunjon, we were allowed to take a few pictures looking out into the DMZ.
This picture is interesting for several reasons. The village you see is the North Korean propaganda village of Kijong-dong. Nobody lives in the village, but it used to broadcast propaganda 24/7. South Korea also has a village located inside the DMZ, but it actually has people living in it. It's called the Freedom Village, and there are 200-some people living there, all who farm a small area of land inside the DMZ, mostly rice and ginseng. They don't have to pay taxes, serve in the military, and are quite wealthy, although they live in the most dangerous area of South Korea. They must also have to have all of their lights out by midnight. A while back, the Freedom Village erected a large, 100 meter tall flagpole. In response, the propaganda village made their own flagpole that is 160 meters high, and it's the highest flagpole in the world.
There used to be a tree where this memorial stands:
Prior to the 70s, the JSA had no border, and within that small area, North and South Korean soldiers could cross the border freely and talk to each other. But in 1976, two American soldiers were cutting down a poplar tree which obstructed their view of the North when 30 North Korean soldiers ganged up on them and killed them with their own axes. A huge fight broke out which resulted in several deaths. After that, the border became strictly enforced, even in the JSA, although there are no fences that mark the border, only several signs.
And thus concludes today's history lesson. I had to sign a waver stating that it wasn't the fault of the United Nations if I got shot while I was in the DMZ, so I also filled my imminent death quota for the year.