Visit Korea – The DMZ (De-militarized Zone)

Kenneth Lee

For those born after the collapse of the Soviet Union, to get a glimpse of the last standoff point between communism and democracy, they must travel to Korea’s DMZ, the only surviving, and operational, artifact left from the Cold War. This unique 248-mile iron curtain – loaded with various military tools of war – separates the North and South Koreas, who are technically still at war with each other: the Korean War ended with a truce, not a peace agreement.

Visitors on a guided tour to the DMZ will first stop at Camp Bonifas, a large military vase that serves as the base camp of the United Nations Command Security Force of the Joint Security Area (JSA). There, you get to be briefed, usually by a US officer, about the JSA’s history and regulations. You should also check out ‘The World’s Most Dangerous Golf Course” – a par-3, one-hole course where you get to lose your golf balls together once you hit them, lest you wish to die from the live mine fields surrounding it.

The main highlight is the JSA itself. Also known as the “Truce Village,” it was used for regular meetings between North Korean and UN military officers to supervise the implementation of the truce between the two Koreas. This location is the only road between the two countries and also the place where the truce was signed in 1953. A Military Demarcation Line there splits the JSA, and physically marks the actual “border”. Places of interest there include the Freedom House and Peace House, used for meetings between the two countries. The Panmungak on the north side also stands as an excellent example of Stalinist architecture. You’ll also see North and South Korean soldiers staring tensely at each other – the Northern ones perhaps more tensely than the Southern ones. When there, do visit a sky-blue Military Armistice Committee Building, the only place where you can cross over to North Korean (albeit briefly).

Other places of interest include the Imjingak, home to the Freedom Bridge, which helped shuttle more than 13,000 war captives from the north during the war. You’ll also find many touching messages from South Koreans who wish their express their desires for Korea to be unified once again. The Unification Park is another historical monument commemorating the soldiers of the Korean War.

Getting There

There are a large number of agencies that provide guided tour to various points of the DMZ from Seoul. Common areas included in tour include the places mentioned in this article, plus more, but itineraries vary.

Prices vary, but they start from ￦46,000. It is highly recommended that you book fast, as places are limited. To check out what tours you can choose from, visit english.visitkorea.co.kr.