DMZ!!!!! North Korea vs. South Korea

Today, I went to DMZ with a few friends.  We took the VVIP Half Day DMZ tour (41,000 won).  First we met up at Hongik University stop at 8:20 and from there our tour bus picked us up.  The bus ride took around one hour and during that time our tour bus, CK (who spoke really good English because he lived in Hawaii for 9 years) gave us more information about North Korea.  An interesting thing I learned is that in South Korea the men have mandatory military service fro 22 months but in North Korea women have mandatory military service for 7 years and the men have it for 10 years!  That's crazy!

Our first stop was at Imjingak Park.  I thought it was just a rest stop but there was an observatory there as well.  Hannah, Tim and I had only 8 minutes left when we realized this so we ran to the top of the observatory.  There we saw the bridge that connects North and South Korea.

took a pic with a soldier and his car :)

the bridge

Hannah looking through the binoculars

Then we went went into DMZ (Demilitarized Zone).  A military soldier came into our bus and checked all of our passports before we can continue in.  First stop: DMZ Theatre & Exhibition Hall.  We saw a 7 minutes clip on the Korean War and how North Korea had built 4 tunnels all aiming at Seoul but were discovered by South Korea.  Then we went into the Exhibition Hall to learn more about both countries.

my fave pic :)

the red shows the division b/w North and South Korea

Tour guide, CK, explaining the map of North Korea

After we exited the Exhibition Hall, our tour guide showed us an area where there is an active mine field just a step away from us!  I took a picture near it!

see how close I am?!!  I just need to take one step and poof!  I'll be gone!

After that we went to the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel.  Here is more information via DMZ site:  Only 44 kilometers from Seoul (less than an hour's drive), the third tunnel was discovered in October 1978. Almost identical in structure to Tunnel 2, the 1.635 kilometer-long tunnel is 1.95 meters high and 2.1 meters wide. It penetrates 435 meters south of the Military Demarcation Line at a point 4 kilometers south of Panmunjeom, running through bedrock at a depth of about 73 meters below ground. Capable of moving a full division (plus their weapons) per hour, it was evidently designed for a surprise attack on Seoul. This tunnel is only 2 kilometers from a key outpost defending the Munsan corridor leading to Seoul.  

First we all put our bags in a locker and then we put on yellow construction hats.  Then we walked down to the entrance of the tunnel which was 350m down (so it was a hike walking up!).  When we got to the tunnel, I was so thankful to be short!  The tunnel is low so a lot of people were crouching down but I had no problem at all.  Water was also dripping from the top.  We all had to walk single file because the tunnel was also narrow.  We weren't allowed to take pictures there but...

walking down...

the hat

it's very low...

end of the tunnel...the other side is North Korea

Then we went to the Observatory where we should've been able to see North Korea.  Unfortunately for us, it was very foggy and hazy that day so I couldn't take a picture of it.  However, they had binoculars there so I was able to see some of North Korea but I didn't get to see any North Koreans.  Then we went inside a theatre where we saw a video of North and South Korea again.  The highlight was the cute solider who spoke perfect Korean and English :)

this is North Korea - as you can see it was very foggy that day!!

hot hot soldier who spoke perfect Korean and Eng!  He has 2 months left in his service

Our last stop of the DMZ tour was at Dorasan Station.  This is the only station that connects South Korea to North Korea.  It is also the cleanest station because it only worked twice, both for test runs.

human train!

Pyeongyang is the capital of North Korea

drinking North Korean Soju - they have the strongest soju - 25% alcohol

 I bought some souvenirs there.  Stamps for my Big Brother, Blacksoybean Chocolate and North Korean soju that you can only get at the DMZ!!

After that we left DMZ and headed back to Seoul.  Our last stop of the trip was at Ametyst Factory where they sell Ginseng.  There are only 3 stores in South Korea (1 in JeJu Island and 2 in Seoul) that sells it and you have to have a reciept when you leave the country with it because it's illegal to smuggle it out the country.  They sell Heaven Ginseng and back then it was only for the king and no one was allowed to sell it either.  We weren't allowed to take pictures there but I bought some ginseng back for my grandma :)

This was a very memorable trip.  I didn't get to see any North Koreans but the danger and tension was definitely there.  We weren't allowed to take pictures in many of the places we went to and there were soldiers everywhere.  I feel bad for the North Koreans because they are trapped in their country and I feel bad for the families that are separated because of the Korean War.  

I learned that non-South Koreans are allowed to visit North Korea but not through South Korea.  If I want to go I will have to go through China but the tour is very expensive.  For 4 days, I will have to pay 1500 Euros which is around 2000 USD.  One day, when I win the lottery, I will definitely go!!