Long Cold Day... Long Cold War
Being a regular glutton for punishment, last weekend I sacrificed my saturday by waking up before the sun itself, to set out for a visit to the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Although the day was looooong and stinkin' cold, and now come to think of it, NOT FUN AT ALL... it was an experience i wouldn't have been able to leave Korea without. Here are some pictures (there are only about 4 pictures, because i couldn't bear to take my hands out of my mittens long enough to actually take more) and information (taken from K-scene Seoul magazine - 11/26/2005 issue):

The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is a 4 kilometers-wide strip of land straddling the 151 mile long Military Demarcation Line (MDL). The July 27, 1953 Armistice Agreement established the DMZ along the approximate line of ground contact between the opposing forces at the time the truce ended the Korean War. However, the Korean War is not officially over - there was a truce but not a negotiated settlement.

This is the room where the truce negotiations took place. The half way point of the room is actually North Korea, with a guard continually standing guard over the door opening onto enemy territory.

By being at the DMZ we were literally standing in the middle of one of history's unfolding sub-plots. The ROK (Republic of Korea) Soldiers guard every inch of their teritory with the same intensity as if the war could break out again any minute. Here you can see soldiers standing with only half of their bodies exposed to the enemy side. This simply to keep them, atleast, half conceled and to give the enemy a smaller range of visibilty if shooting were to break out.

This is Kichong-dong, or what the UN troops call "Propaganda Village". It is a small North Korean settlement, named so, because until recently large speakers were set up to constantly air Pro North Korean Sentement through out the village and for miles around. The large tower in the centre is a flag pole that on a windy day dispalys a flag that is equivilant in size to a three story building. Except for a small custodial staff, no one actually lives in Kichong-dong. The buildings are all empty shells, and have no windows or floors. Although North Koreans work the fields by day, they are all removed from the area before dark.

If you're interested in more information here's a good site to check out:
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0307/feature1/