The DMZ is one of the most heavily militarized borders in the world. It is a buffer zone between the North and South Korea that was established in 1953 from the Korean War. Till this day, the North and South Korea are still at war with each other.
A One-day Trip to Paju - 8/24/2022
We left our goshiwon at 8 AM to take a two-hour subway ride to Paju. You can only visit the DMZ by a guided tour where you can make a reservation online or book the bus tour tickets the same day once you arrive on the bus tour. We took a bus tour that comes every hour. You will need to bring your passport during the bus tour since it is required to go through the security checkpoints.
The Third Tunnel
The first stop was the third tunnel, one of the four tunnels discovered under the North and South Korean border. The third tunnel was discovered in South Korea in 1978. The North dug up the tunnel to attempt a surprise attack on the South. The tunnel is 1,635 meters long, 2 meters wide, and 2 meters in height.
I had the opportunity to go through parts of the tunnel. Pictures were not allowed due to security reasons. I was super exhausted going through the tunnel. The first part of the tunnel was very steep. I had to be careful not to hit my head. The tunnel was cold and wet. We stopped going further when we saw a digital clock of how many years it has been since the Korean War Armistice Agreement. It was crazy to imagine how close I was to the North Korean border underground.
Dora Observatory
The Dora Observatory offers a scenic view of North Korea and the 38th parallel border. We saw the North Korean flag, the world's record-breaking tallest flagpole standing at 525 ft. Some of my goshi-mates could see some North Korean citizens walking around going about their day.
Overall
The overall purpose of the DMZ tour is to bring to light the Korean history that many families had to suffer and a loss of a loved one. The tour brings a deeper understanding of the Korean war aftermath that has led to modern-day Korea as a divided nation. As I went through the tour, I can feel the tension between these two countries.The message emphasized in the DMZ tour is to hope for a peaceful and united Korea in the future.