Trip to the DMZ - my dream fulfilled!

Seriously, I've been dying to go to the DMZ ever since I found out I got the grant to come to Seoul this summer. It was #1 on my list of things to do, and I only got to go during my last few days here because a) the USO are greedy little gits and don't allow people of certain nationalities to go and b) I forget reason b), but I suspect it has something to do with me being very lazy and poor at planning things in advance. So I found a decent tour that allowed me, a sketchy Middle Eastern national, to come along and chill with North Koreans.

Let me start by saying that the folks on my trip were almost all Japanese, which was fantastic. Why was it fantastic? Because Japanese tourists are the most hilarious species of human on the planet. Japanese tourist = adorable individual + huge camera + hilarious photo posing antics. What more does one need to brighten up one's day?

Our first stop was a central area in the DMZ that included the Freedom Bridge, where prisoners of war during the Korean war were exchanged. Following this was a descent into the Third Infiltration Tunnel. So far, South Korea's discovered four tunnels dug by North Korea in the DMZ - the 3rd Tunnel is the closest one to Seoul, 44km away. This tunnel would have allowed a full division of the North Korean army to sneak into Seoul in about an hour. We weren't allowed to take any pictures, so here's a propaganda picture from my tour's website, plus a picture of me looking like Bob the Builder with my mandatory helmet, outside the tunnel. I'll just say that the tunnel was quite low, and even I - a 5"5 chick - had to squat while running around inside.






Next, we were led to the Dora Observatory, where we could look at North Korea from a platform. It was a stunningly clear day, so we got great views, but not great pictures as we were only allowed to take photos up to a certain point, as indicated by the photo line below. Via binoculars I got to see North Korean buildings, villages, flagpoles and other sweet communist landscapes.



Totally stoked to have North Korea behind me.





ZOMG it's North Korea!!!!



Following the observatory, we headed to Dorasan Station, which would connect the North and the South by train in the event of reunification. It was a very sad sight to see this empty, gleaming station, where one could buy fake tickets to Pyeongyang and step into an empty platform with desolate tracks.





I've got a train ticket to Pyeongyang! and by "Pyeongyang" I mean "nowhere." Sad.



Unsettling platform sign...

The best part of the tour was getting into the Joint Security Area, which is where North Korean and South Korean soldiers stand face to face. The JSA is smack dab in the middle of the DMZ, so there is a distinct line dividing the area in half, thus marking the Northern and the Southern territories. Tensions are very high, and we were told not to talk to or smile at any North Korean soldiers who came up to us, or to point at anything, or to "look back" while moving single-file from one building to another. There was a strict dress code, too - neat, conservative clothes: no torn/worn jeans or shorts, miniskirts, tank tops, etc. No flip flops or heels either, as in the event of an emergency we'd need to high-tail it outta there in good time. I'm not even kidding - our guide emphasised this, so we were instructed to wear sneakers because flip flops are clearly going to slow us down when we're running away from North Korean bullets. We were only allowed to take pictures in certain places:



My favourite - a North Korean soldier peering at us with his binoculars! That there building behind him is a gin-yu-wine North Korean building, y'all.



Check it - the tallest flagpole in the world. North Korea's compensating for something...



Scary South Korean soldier. How do these guys not move and keep a straight face when there are silly tourists like me around??



This is the conference room, where meetings were held between officials from the South and the North. The conference room itself is divided in half, with a North and a South side. The moment I stepped over into the North Korean side of the DMZ, my life became complete. I'd crossed over to the North! Huzzah!