Korean DMZ

[Mr Lefty]

So I took a trip to the Korean De-Militarized Zone yesterday. Quite interesting... it snowed about 5" the night before and the whole way there and back. though while we were there... it was just COLD.

anyways... here's some pics.

if you wanna know more about the Korean DMZ... go here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_DMZ

This is the Bell of Hope... it represents the hope that one day North and South Korea will be reunited.




First shot's of North Korea

Notice there are no trees. it is because they are in such a harsh economic situation that they use all the trees for firewood as they don't have electricity in most locations (and at night only the capitol gets power) or Oil to heat.
These buildings were built as propaganda for the North against the south... they are large buildings meant to look like wealthy homes... in reality... most are empty and the buildings are very poorly constructed. some aren't even finished... (they were built 10+ years ago)









Next I went to Panmunjeom. it's only 800 meters in diameter and designated as the JSA (Joint Security Area) between the U.N. and North Korea. it is outside administrative control of both North and South Korea. The U.N. and North Korean sides each operate 6 guard posts and 35 security guards reside inside. Since the ax murder incident on 18 August 1976, by North Korean Soldiers, security guards are forbidden to cross over the opposing side's area.

in this photo... the South Korean soldier(as well as myself taking the picture) is standing in both North and South Korea (his left foot in North Korea, and his Right in South). the table in front of him is where talks between the U.N. and North Korea take place.


This Soldier is standing guard for our(the tourists) protection. he is standing at a Tae Kwan Do modified ready position. Dude was a hard ass... not one flinch for the 20 mins we were in front of him...

While taking the pictures of him... I was standing in North Korea.




Back outside I get my first shots of the Enemy... a North Korean Soldier



The line between the buildings half way between the two streets is the Military Demarcation Line. it separates North Korea from South. it's what I was straddling in the building to the left in previous photos.

Up until the ax murder incident in 1976, there was no line and north korean soldiers and U.N. (usually US forces) intermingled. the North Koreans would spit on the US troops, stomp on their toes, anything to try and get them to retaliate. since that incident... the two sides are forbidden from crossing to the other side. The soldier off to the right is standing with half his body behind the building in cover. just in case he is fired upon.



This is my favorite photo of the trip.
A south Korean soldier in the fore ground... with a North Korean in the back ground



our next stop was down to the observation post overlooking the "bridge of no return" it was used to Return 89,493 Chinise and North Korean captives and 13,444 U.N. Captives. The bridge got it's name because the captives were told not to look back or try to return or they would be shot.


The little monument down at the lower left of the pic is the monument to the 1976 ax murder incident... it replaced the tree stump in the 80's