Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

There are several things which I believe everyone should do before they die (additional than “shout for help” as the great Jimmy Carr once said). I won’t bore you with my personal bucket list, however I will tell you about something I did recently which jumped on to my ‘recommended’ list as soon as I did the idea.

I was in Seoul, South Korea a couple of weeks ago on a business trip as well as after the conclusion of our business, my partners there arranged for me to visit the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). I had heard of the place as well as I have always been interested from the Second World War, so after they told me where we were going I was very pleased as well as intrigued, as well as, I must admit, a little excited. I know which the purists among you are right now thinking “the Korean war is actually not part of the Second World War”, however I could argue which the idea is actually. as well as you’ll notice which the purists as well as I refer to the Korean War from the present tense, because North Korea as well as South Korea have merely been in cease-fire since 1953, so as of right now the war is actually actually still going on – as well as there have been many deadly cross-border skirmishes since the official cease-fire came into effect.

Most purists will also say which the Korean War is actually the last battle of the Cold War, not the Second World War, however since the Cold War is actually effectively the last battle of the Second World War (the Russians just became the enemy immediately after Germany as well as Japan surrendered), I could argue which the Korean War is actually the last battle of the Second World War as well as the idea’s still going on. as well as since the Second World War was effectively a continuation of the First World War, what you see from the DMZ is actually real living history, part of one of the immense as well as bloody battles which have shaped our world.

North Korean as well as South Korean soldiers stare at each additional across the border at the DMZ 24 hours a day. On the south side, soldiers of the army of the Republic of Korea (ROK) are supported visibly by the UN from the form of US Marines. On the north side soldiers of the army of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) are supported invisibly however much more ominously by the Chinese. Before you go in, the tour guides warn you not to point at the North Korean soldiers because they are a bit skittish as well as may think you are pointing some kind of weapon at them. They also warn you not to wave at them, because apparently the North Koreans photograph everything as well as they have been known to use photographs of people waving towards North Korea as propaganda in their country, proving to their people which westerners envy them as well as want to communicate with them.

however the most amazing part of the DMZ tour is actually inside what they refer to as the JSA, or Joint Security Area. Inside This specific area there is actually a light blue (UN coloured) hut having a conference table inside. The official border between North Korea as well as South Korea runs down the centre of This specific table as well as the two armies take turns controlling the hut. Tours via the south only operate on days when the ROK army is actually in control of course, so during the visit you can walk round the table as well as actually set foot in North Korea – something not many people can claim to have done. While you are there, the amazingly disciplined (as well as patient) soldiers of the ROK on guard inside the hut live up to their acronym by standing so still which I actually had to look very closely to check if they were real people or statues. Admittedly, I had been somewhat prepared because of This specific confusion earlier from the day by asking a life-size statue just outside the gift shop for directions to the toilet.

If you ever get the chance to go there, finish your tour having a visit to the invasion tunnels, which the South Koreans discovered in 1974, 1975, 1978 as well as 1990. These tunnels were built under the DMZ by the North Koreans as well as were intended to go all the way to Seoul with the sole (sorry) purpose of taking the capital by force. The ROK government believes there may be many more tunnels as yet undiscovered, as well as has spent a great deal of money on very sensitive underground listening equipment. To make the idea very clear how delicate the peace on the border is actually, every visitor is actually asked to sign a waiver before entering the DMZ, saying which they will not blame anyone if they are injured or killed or captured by the North Koreans while on site. You don’t have to sign the idea, however if you don’t you won’t be allowed in. Sign the idea.