Seeing North Korea (beware it is really long)

Okay before I begin I would like to tell you that I didn't do something dumb and try to cross the boarder into North Korea.  I went on a tour to the DMZ and I actually stood on North Korean soil and took pictures of North Korea.  So this happened all yesterday and to be honest I am still tired from it. I learned a lot and it gave me much more insight into this North Korea vs. South Korea struggle. 
So my day started off at 5:30am to leave at 6:30am to travel to the USO where our tour group would meet to take the bus to the DMZ. That took an hour by train with one transfer in between. After getting there we left on the bus at 9am. It took an hour and a half to get to the first stop on the tour to the DMZ. We started at the museum which I only have a few pictures from.

This is at the front of the DMZ. We didn't spend much time here so I was a little rushed to take pictures. We were waiting to enter the museum part.

This is Haris and Andy. I told them to smile and this is what I got. Typical boys!!!

Inside the museum. The top yellow light line is the North Korean boundary line and the bottom one is the South Korean boundary line. The middle red line is the actual separation line of the two countries.

This was on the floor and you walked on top of it. It is the layout of the DMZ.

Okay so after the museum we went to the 3rd infiltration tunnel.  It is the only one open to the public and was a tunnel that the North Korean side built trying to invade South Korea. They (North Korea) said they were mining for coal but the whole thing is granite. They painted the walls with coal and dynamite was only in the South Korean direction. This tunnel has a huge incline of 11 degrees. I have no photos because I wasn't allowed to take any. It was very interesting though.

Next we went to see the observation tower where we could see North Korea, but to take pictures you had to stand behind a certain line because nothing of the South Korean side can be captured in the pictures. 

This is North Korea! Isn't it pretty? I got a 180 degree look at it! It was pretty cool!

In case you didn't know this is me. haha








So after the observation tower we went to eat lunch. After lunch we went to the Joint Security Area aka JSA.  This was the most interesting part of the tour and this part is going to be a little long so be prepared. The slides are the briefing we got before the tour.

 First started by talking about how the board got established.  After WWII Japan signed an agreement and since Korea was under Japan's rule the Northern part was given to Russia and the Southern part was given the U.S.

The man blocked out in the red was the first president of South Korea.

 This the the family line of North Korean leaders.

 Then we talked about the Korean War. on June 25, 1950 North Korean invaded South Korea.

 Picture of the invasion.

 The South Korean army was pushed all the way south to Busan.

 With the help of the US they were able to push the North Korean army to the boarder of China.

 At this point China joined the war and pushed the South Korean and US army back to the 38th parallel.

 This is where everything ended up stabilizing at and where the boarder was formed.

 These markers show which side is North Korea and which side is South Korea.

 On the south sides the marker it is in Korean and English.

On the north sides of the marker it is in Korean and Chinese.

 Within the JSA they have white stakes,

 This labels things that we were going to be able to see on the tour.

 Taesongdong aka Freedom Village.  This is a village located in the DMZ. It is located on the South Korean side, but they don't pay taxes and are exempt from mandatory military service. They have a total of 211 people and women can marry into the village, but men can't because of the military exemption. They are guarded by the military and grow rice. They make around 82,000 USD a year tax free. Side note: South Korean males are required to serve 2 years in the army.  North Koreans are required to serve for 10 years (males) and 5-7 years (females).

 This is Gijungdong or Propaganda Village. It is on the North Korean side and got its name because it would play recordings 6 to 12 hours a day. They no longer play the recording but no one lives there.

At first the South Korean side had a flag pole at

100 M and  so North Korea had to build a taller 

one at 160 M.

 The Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission was made up of the Swiss, Swedish, Czech, and Polish, but now is only the Swiss, Swedish and Polish.

 The lower left is the North Korean Peace house which is ironic because this building house axes used to kill to US soldiers during the axe murders.
The right hand picture is the building the Czech and Polish used to use for meeting, but were later kicked out by the North Korean side.

 The Bridge of No Return is names because after the Korean War families were allowed to choose which side they wanted to live on.  However, once they crossed the bridge they were no longer allowed to come back hence the name.

 In blue is South Korea and in red is North Korea. If you see in the lower left hand corner watch tower 4 is surrounded by red.  Only watch tower 3 can see tower 4 but was blocked by a big Popper tree.  This is where the axe murders begin.

 In 1976 this tree was in the way of the watch towers. They therefore wanted to trim the tree. When the US and South Korean forces went and explained why they wanted to trim the tree the North Korean side didn't agree.

 In the end 2 US soldiers were killed.  Looking at the picture the crowd in the front is mostly North Korean soldiers and one South Korean soldier.  The helmet on the ground by the truck is one the people who was axed to death and in the back you can see a North Korean wielding an axe at a South Korean soldier.

 A man from the Soviet wanted to cross the boarder and so he ran to the South Korean side.

 The North started to invade to capture or kill the man and the South came to protect.

 In the 20 minute ordeal the man was saved, 3 North Koreans were killed and one from the South Korean side.

 What North Korean Army men look like. They have to wear a red band on their arm. The red on their collar means the are a soldier and the yellow mean they are a higher officer.

So the blue building are the South Koreans and the silver/gray are the North Koreans.

 North Korean building.

 There was a North Korean guard watching us at all times. They also took photos of us. We weren't allowed to point, stare, wave or make any gestures because they would take pictures and use it as propaganda.

 In one of the meeting rooms. That is a South Korean soldier. Sunglasses are issues so they can't so emotion. They stand a "rock ready" and are highly trained in Taekwondo and Jujitsu. They speak English fluently and they have a height and weight requirement.

 Took a picture next to one.  I was only allowed to take pictures of the North Korean side. I am actually standing in North Korea in this picture.

 This is Meg next to a soldier.

 There were 2 South Korean soldiers in the room. They are only in there when we are in there for our protection. We weren't allowed to touch the furniture, because it is disrespectful, but when the North Koreans give a tour they have them stand on the tables bare foot and face their back to the South Korean side as a form of disrespect.
Where those microphones on the table are is the division of North and South Korea in this room.

 North Korean building.

 North Korea and Propaganda village.

 The old Czech and Polish house.

 North Korean mountains. Isn't it pretty?

 Propaganda village. Most of the buildings are 4 walls and a roof. The windows and doors are painted on. Most of it is fake.

 Watch tower 4.

 160 M flag pole

 The building in the middle is the only one that has workers and they make electronics. They only make $75 USD a month.

 Where the tree and axe murders took place. The bottom concrete slab was the size of the tree they ended up cutting down which a huge amount of military.

The Bridge of No Return and some quail.













Lastly we went to the last station before you enter the DMZ. For one year it used to run from Seoul to the capital of North Korea. It was stopped after North Korean soldiers killed a woman who was doing nothing wrong and never apologized for it.

 Haris, Philip and another South Korean soldier.

 Kevin and the soldier.

 The soldier and I.

 Philip, Haris and Andy.

 Haris wanted to be gangster but Andy wasn't having it. lol

 Kevin.

 Meg and I.

 My ticket with a stamp.

 A plaque with a sad quote.

 The whole map with no people in front of it.

The history and point of the station.













Okay this is a super long blog. Sorry every one.  I have spent 3 hours writing this and it is now midnight here in Korea. I have work tomorrow morning so I am off to bed now. I hope you enjoyed this blog.  Besos!