Korean DMZ

Tomorrow is July Fourth, our national independence day. When the founding fathers declared our independence from Great Britain in 1776 and then won the revolutionary war... a great nation with a lasting constitution was created. While we are still such a new country, we have managed to create a stable and constant government. Even though, our great union was tested during the Civil War, thankfully strong leaders helped the nation remain unified. That said, as a citizen I feel a constant sense of safety and have experienced a much higher standard of living than many other people around the world. I am proud of to be an American citizen and do not take lightly the freedoms we have by living in a democratic nation. Today we left Seoul to visit the 38th parallel DMZ line. It was a very interesting and yet a serious place. Issues of democracy,communism, power, wealth, security are a real part of the atmosphere in this area. It is clear that the people in the north do have the same rights and luxuries that I have and it makes me feel even more appreciative of my nation on her birthday!


During our visit we had many stops a long the way culminating to the official Military Demarkation Line (MDL). See the information below about each stop.

Background
After WWII & independence from Japan in 1945, the peninsula was was divided at the
38th parallel. In the North the Koreans were influenced by Communism and China and
in the South would be democratic and influenced by America. The land that is between
North and South is called the Demilitarized Military Zone aka DMZ. Officially North and South Korea are still at war because after the Korean War they only signed an armistice, which is just an agreement to stop fighting. Kind of like taking a break. This is why visiting the DMZ is a very serious excursion.

Stop 1:
We first stopped at the Philippines Monument dedicated to the 7,000 soldiers who assisted in the war and the 300 that died during the Korean War.

Stop 2:
Unification Park which is nestled in between many tree filled green hills. The park is more of a memorial because it is filled with many smaller memorials dedicated to specific important figures during the Korean war.

Stop 3:
Imjingak Park. There are three spots to see here. The first was a train that was a casualty of war. It was derailed by bombs during the Korean War. More than 1020 bullet holes show the tragedy. The second is the ancestor memorial. Since South Koreans can not visit the North, they do not know if their ancestors in the North are still alive. Thus, they perform their ancestral ceremonies at this site. The third is Freedom Bridge where the train used to pass from north to south. This was also one of the locations used to exchange prisoners after the Korean War.

Stop 4:
Upon entry into the DMZ zone we stop twice at Camp Bonfas where a Korean then American officer came on the bus to check dress code and passports. At this point an American soldier was with us the rest of the journey to help ensure our saftey. There were very strict dress code and behavior requirements. From this point on, we could only take photos in a few designated locations. In the middle of the DMZ is called the Joint Security Area (JSA) which is the main area. Many important meetings take place here and it is the main area where tourists are allowed. Then we went a little further into the zone called the United Nations Command. We entered the main entrace of South Korea's side. There we saw the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) that is the official division of the peninsula. South Korean soldiers stand right on the South side and are on guard. Both North Koreas and South Korean main halls face directly at each other with the MDL in the middle. If you look closely you can even see a North Korean soldier watching all tourists from the North Korean main hall. Directly in the center on the MDL is a set of 6 temporary buildings. The center building is where the armistice was signed. Inside it has a conference table that is directly on top of the line. The microphones in the center of the table is another way to show the division. If peace negotiations were to happen, government officials from both sides would meet here. Technically when we crossed to the other side of the room, we were in North Korea. As we were leaving, we could see another bridge called, "the bridge of no return." After the Korean War, this was another point where prisoners of war were able to cross to either side, but once you crossed there was no going back.

Interesting Facts
All South Koreans must join the military for one year service with out pay.
South Koreans can not visit North Korea.
North Korea is a very poor country and people earn about $110 per month.
The South is lush with many trees, but the North has cut down many of the trees to use for heating their homes in the winter. As a result their landscape is not as beautiful. In the South they are industrial and use electricity to warm their homes.