"안녕하세요 - Annyeonghasaeyo". Seoul, South Korea - Day 6 : The Korean DMZ

This is the 4th part of my Seoul, South Korea series. The earlier parts can be found in the following links. If you have any questions, please feel free to post your question in the comments section, I will try my best to answer.

Part 0 - Planning
Part 1 - Day 1 and 2: Setting foot in Seoul
Part 2 - Day 3 and 4: Skiing at YongPyong
Part 3 - COEX Aquarium & Namsan Tower

Into the Korean DMZ

The next morning, we woke up early for the DMZ tour, which we booked from Panmunjeom Travel Centre.

Note to readers: To better understand the division between North Korea (DPRK) and South Korea (ROK), you can read in more details on the Division of Korea at Wikipedia.

There are 3 locations which most tour companies will bring tourists to. The first - and most exciting - is the Joint Security Area (JSA) , the second one is Dorasan train station and observatory, and the last is the 3rd infiltration tunnel.

Most tour company will offer a combination or all 3 tours. For those who are in town for a couple of days, you can complete tour for all 3 locations in 1 day, and still have time to spare for dinner in Seoul.

Do note that due to the sensitivity of Joint Security Area(JSA), visit to the site need at least 3 days advance notice in order for your tour company to send in your passport details to the authorities for background checks.

With that in mind, we booked the tour and send in all the required documents before even leaving for Seoul.

Our tour starts with registration at PTC's office at Lotte Hotel across the road from Seoul Ibis at 8 am. Shortly afterwards, we boarded a bus for a 40 minutes ride to Imjingak.

Imjingak is the northernmost village in the Civilian Controlled Line (CCL), after which, is approx 5 km zone before the 4 km de-militarised zone begins (DMZ). The CCL is the limit where civilians can travel around freely. Anything beyond this point, you'll need permission from the authorities. The village is built with reunification in mind. It is also the site of the Freedom park and Freedom Bridge, where POWs during the Korean War are repatriated.

Freedom Bridge at Imjingak

At the end of the bridge, is a wall full of well wishes and hope for reunification.

Panoramic view showing the bridge crossing over Imjin River 

This locomotive is used during the Korean war, and is full of bullet holes

The next stop is the most interesting part of the tour. Into the JSA itself. The bus took us past the military checkpoint at CCL (picking up a UNC Soldier along the way, who will be our escort for the whole time we are in the DMZ) into Camp Bonifas, where we had a short briefing on what not to do when we are visiting the JSA. As the Korean war ended with a truce and not a peace treaty, DPRK and ROK are still technically at war and thus, the atmosphere is very tense. Due to this, we are also required to sign an indemnity form which is the official proof of visiting JSA.

Finally, from Camp Bonifas, we switched to a military bus for a short ride into the JSA itself. JSA is where the ROK and DPRK government had joint talks and negotiations regarding anything from military talks to joint sports programs and a couple of times, exchange of gunshots.

Joint Security Area (View Larger Map)

Once in JSA, we went into one of the blue meeting rooms straddling the Military Demarcation Line (DML), which is the de-facto border between DPRK and ROK. Photography is allowed here, but only in the direction of the North. 

Waltzing into North Korea. On the left of the concrete divider is North Korea, on the right is South Korea.

Looking into North Korea

Guard standing on the North Korean access door to the room

Other than our UNC escort, 2 additional guards stand at attention inside the room, ready for any incursion from the North. It is also in here where we can physically step across the border into North Korea.

After this, we re-board the bus and went to the spot where the Axe Murder Incident took place and the Bridge of No Return.

The exact location of the tree where the Axe Murder Incident is centred on

Bridge of no return

After lunch (included in the itinerary and served in Imjingak), we went back north across the CCL and into Dorasan Station and Observatory. Dorasan station is built in preparation of eventual reunification. Even though most of the station is not in operation at the moment, it can be opened at very short notice. 2 empty trains from Seoul stopped here daily as a symbolic gesture of reunification.

Inside the Dorasan Station, everything is ready for the day of reunification

At Dorasan observatory, one have a bird's eye view into North Korea and even see Kaesong industrial estate on a clear day. But unfortunately, due to the sensitivity of the area, visitors have to stand behind a line to take any photos, which pretty much ensure you can only see the sky and not the landscape.

Dorasan Observatory. The yellow line is the limit where we can take photos

The last stop on our tour is the 3rd infiltration tunnel. During the height of the Cold War, North Korea dug invasion tunnels across the borders. The first tunnel was accidentally found in 1974 by an Army patrol who discovered steam rising from the ground. Subsequent search turned up 3 other tunnels at different locations along the border. The largest of it is around 2 m high and 2 m wide.

To enter the tunnel, you can either choose to walk down or for a small fee, to take a "shuttle tram" down. Walking involves a 300 m long slope down to 74 m below the surface. Once you reach the bottom, there is another 300 m distance to walk to point where concrete walls are built by the South. So, a round trip by walking will be 1.2 km.

Unfortunately, because the tunnel is considered a sensitive military installation, photography are not allowed inside the tunnel.

By the time we return to Seoul, it's dinner time. We decided to head to one of the many tented stalls in Namdaemun night market. The food here is priced lower than restaurant, and the experience is unique. We ordered BBQ pork meat, Ramyeon, Seafood Pancake (전) and a bottle of Soju. Total damage, less than KRW 20,000.

Directions from Seoul Station to Namdaemun Market (View Larger Map)

Stall owner, an Ah-ju-ma

BBQ Pork meat with accompanying sauce

Seafood Pancake

Next one: Visiting the first of 2 palaces of Joseon Dynasty, Changdeok-gung.