This past weekend, with some friends, we took a tour to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). It was a really great experience because it really opened my eyes to what Korea has gone through in the past. Not knowing much about Korean history, this tour was very informative and really made me see a lot of the hardtimes that this country has gone through in the past. Some of the monuments we saw and the stories we heard, really made me realize how prominent the division has been, and still is, between North and South Korea, both physically and emotionally.
We met our tour guide in Seoul and we took a bus to Panmunjeom. We first went to a place that not only had historical monuments, but also a small amusement park, so of course we went on a ride before we left. Anywho... here we saw the Peace bell. This bell is 2.23m in diameter, 3.8m high, weighs 21 tons and is made of bronze and tin. The Peace bell was created as a way of marking the reunification of the Korean Penisula. It rings on the hour each day and marks the division of North and South Korea. It was created in hopes that it would bring Peace and, perhaps one day, bring together the North and South.
For 10,000Won you could ring the Peace bell on the hour...So... we did!! You can't really see everyone in this picture but we were a group of 7 people, so together we all rang the bell three times. Trying for peace is hard work...
Below is the very end of the Freedom Bridge, which was officially opened on February 16, 1952. During the Korean War, this bridge was a major focal point of attention all around the world, as it became a major link between the truce site of Panmunjom and Seoul. The Freedom Bridge is not publisized very much, but it was used for United Nations Command soldiers who returned home to South Korea after being held captive in North Korea--Hense the name 'Freedom Bridge'.
People come and put up Korean flags, symbols, and other postings, and often write messages as well.
In Korea, on Chusok, Koreans visit their relatives that have past away, by going to their grave sites and pay their respects by offering rice and fruits. Long ago, during the Korean war, when Koreans were forced to choose to live either in North or South Korea, many North Koreans, living in South Korea, would come here to pay respect to their dead relatives on Chusok or other holidays, because they were not able to actually go to the gravesites. This was their one place where they could go to pay their respects, it is called Memorial Alter.
Our next stop was Gyeongui Railway Transit Office. The big plan is to eventually have a railway train that will go all the way to Europe from Korea. However, in order for that to happen, they need to go through a part of North Korea... which is why this railway has nt yet been built. Regardless, this train station still had the maps all planned out. Big plans, but they are kind of at a stand still right now.
Outside in front of the railway station was a Korean guard, who let you take his picture. It was kind of akward because he didn't speak or really move. We weren't really sure how to act in the picture, hense the stuffness and akwardness in the picture below. But apparently everyone does this so it's nothing new to the guard.
After the train station, we went to the Odusam Unification Observatory(below). Here we were able to look into North Korea through pay telescopes. From where we were, we could look across the Demilitarized Zone, and see the actual border between North and South Korea. You were only allowed to take pictures from a certain point. I attempted it, but you couldn't really see anything. What we could see through the pay telescopes, basically looked like any other city, except in the mountains you could see a big statue of Kim Il Sung, the former ruler of North Korea and the father of Kim Jong Il, the current ruler.
Our final stop on this tour was The third Tunnel. In 1974 South Korea found the first tunnel that North Korea had dug to try to sneak in to South Korea to either send in spies, troops, weapons, etc. The second tunnel was found in 1975, and the thrid tunnel, the one that we saw, was found in 1978. This third tunnel was the biggest and the closest to Seoul itself. It could be used to send approximately 30,000 troops in an hour. The picture below is a sideview picture of the tunnel. I think the legth of the tunnel was about 10km or so... but it felt a lot longer when we had to walk all the way back up!!
It was really interesting to see and learn about all these attempts that North Korea took to try to get into South Korea. This tunnel had dynamite holes and was quite extensive. The fact that we were able to walk through was, although very tiring, very exciting.
The entire experience was a good eye opener as to what Korea has gone through. There is so much extensive history to this country and its past, and being able to see all of this and experience it in person, was definately an experience worth remembering.
Last I heard there currently wasn't snow everywhere back home, only a few places, so I thought I might try to share some with all of you that don't yet have the lovely, white, fluffy, wet, cold, snow yourselves... Just in case you forgot what it looks like ;)
