DMZ Tour

This past weekend Jayson and I went with another couple in the squadron up to Osan AB to take the DMZ Tour. The DMZ is the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.


The first stop on our tour was the Imjingak Resort Park. The Imjingak represents the spot where people can go for the hope of unification and remember the pain of a divided land.

This is the 21 ton bell of peace which was made with the desire for peace and unification.





This is a picture of 'The Bridge of Freedom' which was named when 12,773 Korean prisoners of war returned from North Korea in 1953.

This is a picture of our crazy tour guide. He really wasn't much of any help!


The next stop was the Mt. Odu Observation Point. This is where you can observe the life of North Korea through binoculars. They also have a little museum (I guess you can call it that) where they displayed a wide range of products, goods, etc... found in North Korea.






The third stop was Mt. Dora Train Station. It is located at the northernmost end of South Korea. It was visited by President Bush in 2002. The Dora Mountain Station contains the dream of being able to advance to China, Siberia, and even Europe via Pyeongyang one day. The design on the station building is the scene of shaking hands and a Yin-Yang symbol.



The fourth stop was the JSA. (Joint Security Area) This area is between the United Nations and North Korea. It is outside administrative control of South and North Korea. The U.N. and North Korea sides each operate 6 guard posts and 35 security guards reside inside. Since the ax murder incident on August 18, 1976, by the North Korean soldiers, security guards are forbidden to cross over to the opposing side's area.

The two blue buildings with guards are on the South Korea side. The large building between the blue buildings is North Korea.



If you look carefully the man with binoculars is a North Korean. He was watching us. There was also several North Koreans inside the building with cameras, guns, and who knows what else pointed at us.

The next few pictures are of the MAC (Military Armistice Commission). This is the building where secretary's meetings, joint duty officer meetings, and general meetings for observation of the Armistice Agreement since its signing. General meetings have no longer been held there since a Korean Army General was assigned to represent the UNC in March of 1998.




The picture above is of a cement "line". This is the line that divides North and South Korea.

Here is Jayson standing on the left of the guard, which is on the North Korean side.


Jayson and I are 'safely' standing in both North and South Korea.

The pictures below are of North Korea, which are taken from the JSA.





Our final stop was the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel. We were not allowed to take any pictures while we were there, but here is a brief overview about the tunnel.
The tunnel was discovered in October 1978. It is 435 meters south of the Military Demarcation Line at.4 kilometers south of Panmunjeom. It is about 73 meters below the ground. It was designed for a surpise attack on Seoul.