DMZ i Sydkorea

You can take an organized tour up to the DMZ, which is the border area between North and South Korea. This organizer is recommended. They are very knowledgeable and still cheap: www.uso.org/korea. But you can also easily go up there yourself. We found that it was super easy and cheap by train/subway. From Sinchon Train Station, the gray line, we took the train up to Munsan - it takes about an hour. From there we changed trains to Imjingak, where we only had to make 2 stops. The train in Imjingak runs at 10am and 11am. In Imjingak we had to buy our DMZ tour ticket from the office located at the station. It's easy to get oriented as almost everyone comes up here for the purpose of seeing the DMZ. Remember to bring your passport as you need it to buy a DMZ tour ticket and you'll need to show it when you board the train that takes you to Dorasan - the last train station before North Korea. Here, a free shuttle bus is waiting to take tourists around. The DMZ tour ticket costs 11,700 won per person and gives access to the 3rd tunnel and Dorasan Observatory. In addition, the shuttle bus stops at a restaurant to buy lunch. The first stop is at the Dorasan Observatory, which provides a view of North Korea. On each side of the border, the two countries have a 2 km belt that they guard with life and soul. In total, the DMZ is 4 km wide. The area has been untouched for over 50 years, so flowers, trees and wildlife have been allowed to flourish as they please. Today it is home to endangered species and rare flowers. You can see the two cities that lie in the middle of the DMZ. One city is North Korean and the other is South Korean. The cities are propaganda cities where the two countries tease each other. Among other things, they had a competition to see which country had the tallest flagpole. North Korea wanted to win, so they extended their flagpole when South Korea built a new one. North Korea's city stands empty. Sometimes they come and turn the lights on/off to make it look inhabited. South Korea's city is inhabited. The inhabitants have to be home every night at a certain time as soldiers patrol the city every night. South Korea has discovered 4 tunnels dug by North Korea. The 1st tunnel was discovered in 1974, the 2nd tunnel in 1975 and the 4th tunnel in 1990. They fear there are many more. They all start in North Korea and move under the DMZ into South Korean territory towards Seoul - North Korea was planning an ambush. The 3rd tunnel, which was discovered in 1978, is accessible to tourists. North Korea managed to dig 1.7 km. That means they were only 44 km away from Seoul. The tunnel is 2 m high and 2 m wide and is 73 meters underground. 30,000 soldiers can get through the tunnel in 1 hour. To prevent North Korea from using the tunnel, South Korea has set up 3 blockades so they don't suddenly find themselves looking a North Korean in the eye. Tourists have access to get to the 3rd blockade. We were only 170 meters away from the border. You are equipped with mine helmets and can choose to go 73 underground or take a small "train". Then you go through the tunnel to the 3rd blockade. Normally there is also access to the JSA (joint security area), which is the area where the border goes straight through. Due to a public holiday it was closed. In the JSA there is a house with a table in the middle of the border where the two countries can meet without having to leave their own country. Don't be afraid to make the trip to the DMZ on your own, as the soldiers will make sure you get to the right places. They'll also make sure you get back to South Korea again :o) Back in Munsan, we didn't take the train directly back to Seoul again. We took a small detour to the Odusan Unification Observatory, where you get a different look into North Korea. We took a taxi - maybe not the cheapest option - but the fastest. It cost 12,000 won. The Odusan Unification Obersavatory is built by the river that separates north and south. Here you are really close to the Promised Land. You can see the farmers in the field. You get an insight into the hard life in North Korea. Almost all the trees are gone - they are used for fuel. It must be strange for a North Korean to see roads packed with cars, tall buildings where there is no shortage of electricity, and a lush nature that has not been depleted for the people to survive. The 2 observatories provide very different insights into North Korea. They are both highly recommended. What a contrast there is between these 2 countries.