Seodaemun Prison, Korea
DMZ
DMZ stands for Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea, which was created in agreement by both the North and South Korean governments when the Korean War was suspended in 1953. Each government agreed to withdraw its army and weapons within two kilometers north and south of the Military Demarcation Line, the center of DMZ. When the DMZ was first created, it was heavily armed, with North Koreans building tactical positions at the Northern DMZ and sending guerrilla soldiers to South Korea.
During the “121 Incident” which occurred on January 21, thirty-one armed North Korean soldiers tried to raid the Blue House, where the South Korean president lives, in the middle of Seoul. The soldiers crossed the DMZ in the middle of the night on January 17 with the ultimate goals of assassinating president Park, the ambassador to the United States, and to raid the Blue House, U.S. embassy, and the prisons to release all of the prisoners. The soldiers made their way to the Blue House, where they were caught by police officers, but of the thirty-one soldiers, one person fled to North Korea and one person was captured. Twenty-five soldiers and seven civilians died during the cconflict, and fifty-two people were wounded.
In 1976, North Korean soldiers also murdered US Armed Forces in Korea with axes in Panmunjom, a joint security area where South and North Korea both guard the DMZ. Although it began as a minor conflict, North Korean soldiers brought weapons such as axes, and swung them at the UN soldiers and workers there. As a result, two U.S. commanders died, and four U.S. soldiers and four Korean soldiers were severely wounded.
After several attempts for a peace agreement, North Koreans agreed to keep peace. Now, DMZ has had limited contact with humans for more than half a century, creating a very unique ecosystem. As well as seeing fascinating scenery undisturbed by humans, you can also see the cities and people of North Korea.
When tourists visit the DMZ located in Panmunjom, they can see North Korean people, North Korean cities, and statues of Kim Jung-un from the observatory. It is astounding to actually see and feel the life of North Koreans. Also, tourists can go into the underground tunnels. One of the underground tunnels is over 2.8 kilometers long and built during the Korean war by North Korean soldiers, connecting both South and North Korea near the DMZ. Tourists are allowed to go only 265 meters in the DMZ by monorail or walking. The path for walking is very steep and narrow so tourists can experience the history of the DMZ first hand.
