So, it took me such a long time to a) get around to writing this last post and b) finish it that I’ve had to forego my initial unfunny seasonal quip and move on to the next season/even less funny seasonal quip. Quips aside (or rather, at the forefront), I hope everyone had a great Autumn getting lost in corn mazes, unsuccessfully bobbing for apples, finding last minute Halloween costumes that are deemed worthy enough to present yourself in public and most importantly, are enjoying the changing colors of the leaves that will soon be falling faster than my bank account when out on a Saturday night in Seoul.
Now that I’ve had 75% of you exit out of this tab faster then when you see a “WARNING – VIRUS”/pop-up ad due to my senseless drivel, I suppose we can move on to the less sarcastic, more sub-optimal content filled portion of the post.
This blog post is all about the JSA DMZ tour my Dad and I took back in early August when he came to visit for my Summer vacation! It was a fantastic experience and one that many foreigners partake in when visiting Korea.
There are a number of different companies and groups that offer half or full day tours to the DMZ, but the most comprehensive of the bunch is the JSA (Joint Security Area) tour which gives tourists the opportunity to experience (and cross) a divide that has existed between the two countries for the better part of half a century.
After being picked up around 7:00 AM via van and transported to a tour bus, we finally arrived around 9:30 AM to Imjingak Park, the entry area of the DMZ. The morning portion of the tour was far more relaxed as the areas we were going to were, although included in the JSA tour package, not technically part of the JSA tour itself. This alone is a great experience and anyone looking to only spend a half day at the DMZ wouldn’t be disappointed with what they saw. If you do this tour, you can expect to see (in no particular order) Imjingak Park, the Unification Bridge, Dorasan Station, the 3rd tunnel and the Dora Observatory. The half day tours are also far cheaper – only about $50 compared to the JSA tour which is $150.
Infiltration Tunnel
The first location we visited was the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel – one of three tunnels that have been discovered by South Korea, yet to this day North Korea maintains that the tunnels are of their southern counterparts own making. These tunnels were presumably made by North Korea in preparation for any end to the armistice and continuation of war between the two countries in the decades following the Korean War. Unfortunately, no phones or cameras are permitted here but this is certainly one of the more interesting parts of the tour as you get to walk about half a mile down through the entry tunnel before walking a bit further through the infiltration tunnel. Helmets are provided to everyone as the tunnel is quite narrow/low at many points. Once you get to the end, you can view through a small window the continuation of it towards North Korean territory (although you are still well within South Korea and cannot see into North Korea from this viewpoint) and a day counter indicating the number of days that the armistice has been in effect.
Due to the limited amount of time that you have in each area, most people don’t get a chance to view the small museum in the background of the picture above. The museum has a lot of interesting information regarding not only the infiltration tunnels, but history of the DMZ and certain events that have transpired during its existence from the Korean axe murder incident, to the more recent North Korean defector that was shot five times while crossing to the South Korean territory. If you somehow find yourself with some spare time or don’t feel like making the long trek down the tunnel (which can be somewhat arduous for those in not great shape or older, especially the walk back up), I’d suggest spending some time appreciating all of the information provided here in the museum.
Dora Observatory
After the Infiltration Tunnel, our bus took the group to the Dora Observatory which allows you to see into North Korea. On the day I went with my Dad, the visibility was poor due to lots of smog but having gone again recently with friends who were visiting (shout out Maky, Kalvin and Steph), I was able to take some better photos as visibility was perfect.
Inside the observatory there’s a large 3D landscape/map of the DMZ which gives you a better idea of where everything is in relation to one another and North Korea.
Dorasan Station
From the observatory we proceeded to Dorasan Station, the northernmost station on the Seoul Subway line which opened as a tourist attraction during the 2002 World Cup. Currently, you can only get to this station by taking the DMZ tour or taking a train after having presented valid identification as it is part of the “Civilian Control Zone (CCZ)”. The idea behind the creation of this station is that when, one day, the two Korean states reunite, this station will serve as a means for Koreans to move back and forth between the north and the south, reconnecting with long lost family, relatives and friends.
In addition to this, there is an electronic sign that reads “When the Trans-Korea railway (TKR), the Trans-Siberia Railway (TSR) and the Trans-China Railway (TCR) are connected in the future, Dorasan Station promises to emerge as the starting point of the transcontinental railroad”. So despite the horrors of the past and the predicament of the present, it is clear that South Korea has high hopes for the future.
Inside the station are a number of pictures taken of President Moon Jae-In and “Supreme Leader” of North Korea, Kim Jong-un during their first summit meeting together and the first in eleven years between the two countries. There have been a total of five summits, the first two taking place between representatives of each country in 2000 and 2007. The third in April, 2018 however, was a historic moment as it was the first time two respective leaders of each country had met one another since the end of the Korean War.
Since the summit, it appears that relations between the two countries have been steadily improving. President Moon has called for reunification between the two countries and an intent to formally end the Korean War through a peace treaty (although China and the U.S. need to agree to end the war as ironically, South Korea was not involved in the initial armistice that brought the Korean War to a halt in 1953), thus paving the way for a “transformative peace” that would hopefully lead to not only reunification of a torn nation, but also economic opportunities for both countries as well.
Whether these hopes for reunification, denuclearization and a formal peace between the two countries ever occurs is impossible to answer right now – if you were to ask ten different Koreans their opinion on the matter, you would probably get ten different answers. Nevertheless we can all hope that the intent of the two leaders and their governments (along with China and the U.S.) are genuine and not more “political posturing”.
JSA Tour
After finishing with each of our morning destinations, my Dad and I returned to Imjingak Park and did a little bit of exploring there before meeting with the rest of the group that had signed up for the JSA portion of the tour. We were served a traditional Korean meal for lunch which is included in the tour package before heading out. After an ID check, the first place that we were taken to was Camp Bonifas for a slideshow and briefing by U.S. military personnel, who would be serving as our “tour guides/security/chaperones-to-make-sure-noone-did-anything-stupid” for the remainder of the day.
Before things got underway, everyone in the auditorium was presented with a visitor declaration form/waiver, basically stating that if you die it’s not their fault and not to do anything profoundly dumb.
The next thirty minutes entailed one of the American officers giving a power point presentation about the history of the DMZ and certain infamous incidents that have taken place over the years.
After the presentation, we departed by bus to the JSA/Freedom House. Most of the ride there consisted of our tour guide providing us with more information about the surrounding geography (see Dasseong-dong, Peace Village, land mines) in the DMZ. During this time, no one was allowed to ask questions or speak, only serving to add to the tension considering we were only minutes away from North Korea.
Upon arrival, we were given strict instructions not to make direct eye contact or attempt to communicate with any of the South Korean soldiers or North Korean soldiers if we saw any. There were other obvious rules like don’t be loud, obnoxious, or make any sudden movements; even though these things were painfully obvious you could tell that everyone’s anxiety levels had gone up a notch as we walked from the Freedom House towards the Blue Houses in two single file lines.
En route, we passed by the first South Korean soldier who I could have sworn was a wax statue. This encounter was reminiscent of seeing the Canadian Guard standing watch when I visited Canada as a child, although perhaps not quite so welcoming considering their attire, stern faces, combat ready stance and proximity with one of the worlds most notorious human rights violators. I thought better of giving into temptation and poking him in the nose to see if he was real or not and moved on.
At last, we had arrived to the blue houses – used primarily for negotiations between the two countries…and tours for the uninitiated. We stayed outside, snapping pictures for only about five minutes, although we were informed that we could not take pictures too far to the left or the right of the houses – there were North Korean security cameras in place watching for anyone who would possibly be trying to take pictures of areas they weren’t supposed to be. Classic North Korean paranoia. Also, my adrenaline was rising just knowing that if I wanted to cause an international debacle and gain my 15 minutes of fame/infamy, catching the South Korean and American soldiers unaware by sprinting the 50 yards to the left or right of them and across the demarcation line would, in my mind, have been doable. Not wanting to shame my friends, family, country and most importantly, knowing I’d probably be tortured for God knows how long, I opted for following all of the soldier/tour guides directions. You’re welcome Dad, Mom…America.
After standing outside taking pictures for a few minutes, we were permitted to go inside the middle blue house. This was probably the coolest part of the tour just because you get to walk to the opposite side of the blue house, which is technically in North Korea. Christian 1, North Korea 0. Eat your heart out Supreme leader!
After a few minutes inside the Blue House, we made our way back the way we came through the Freedom House and to the buses. The drive back to the JSA Visitors Center was much more relaxing and Officer Burris was more than happy to answer any questions that we had initially been unable to ask.
And there you have it! The last part of the tour was spent exploring the JSA Visitors Center which again contained a few rooms/exhibits about the DMZ but nothing that would knock your socks off compared to what we had just experienced. The JSA portion of the tour was only an 1.5-2 hours but once you add in the commute and rest of the tour, it takes up your entire day (7AM pick-up and 4:30ish drop off in Seoul).
Obviously, if you’re ever visiting South Korea/Seoul, I would highly recommend doing the JSA tour or even just the half day tour as it will give you an interesting perspective on the countries history and current predicament. Make sure you book well in advance though for the JSA tour as most slots are filled up a month ahead of time!
Thanks again for tuning into more sub-optimal content brought to you by Soju Boi. Because Winter is coming (but no, it really is and I’m not looking forward to it) and I also quit my part-time job, prepare yourself for more sub-optimal content on a slightly more regular basis. Maybe I’ll even take a bloggers 101 class to see how I can hone my skills because after all – IF YOU ARE NOT ENTERTAINED, THEN WHY ARE YOU HERE?!?!