Inside the DMZ and a Few Steps into North Korea

After our time visiting family in the USA, we arrived in Seoul on Monday, September 12.  Sheila's brother Ed Little and his wife Nelda arrived in Seoul the same day for a 3 week visit with us.  They were with us for this our second tour of the Demilitarized Zone.  Ed is a retired Lt. Colonel from the US Air Force and served 1.5 years in South East Asia during the time of the Vietnam war.  They now live near Houston, Texas.  

On Tuesday, Huw and Yang Hee made the 3.5 hour trip to Seoul, and from noon until about 10 PM, showed us some of the interesting things to see in this huge city.  We toured museums, and restored historical royal palaces, and the Seoul Tower.  We will cover these activities in a future post. 

Ed and Nelda Little

Yang Hee and Huw Thomas

 The week following these photos, Huw left to begin post graduate studies at Oxford University.  He plans to do research into North Korean politics since the time of the fall of the Soviet Union.

On Wednesday, we 4 and Huw joined an early morning tour headed to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and the Joint Security Area (JSA).  The DMZ is a 2.5 mile wide band that runs all the way across the Korean peninsula - 160 miles.  It is a no-man's land containing land mines and is heavily fortified by each side.  The JSA is a "shared" area of very small buildings where representatives from each side talk - when they do talk. 

Earlier this year, we had visited the DMZ along with Brother Robert Hawkins and Brother Ray Dupre from the USA.  That day was one of the most heart moving days of our life.  But that day was a Monday and the tours were not operating; we were only able to visit some of the overlook places where you could see into North Korea at a distance.  

(See the older post in this blog "Demilitarized Zone and North Korea, 4/11/11")

Since the time of the first tour we have read more Korean history, and more about the current events and life in North Korea, making this tour much more meaningful.  Some people may not know the horror of North Korea at this time.  A person can go to prison for saying the slightest word against the ruler.  In the mid 90s, somewhere between 1 and 3 million people died of hunger and hunger related diseases,  and hunger is again widespread.  Even the members of the Army are not getting enough to eat.  Since this is a closed country, with little news in or out, and no open internet, you do not see the starving people as you do from other parts of the world.  

Tour bus

On the bus to the DMZ, we were privileged to have a defector (in yellow sweater) from North Korea talk and answer questions.  After paying a "broker"to help her get to China, the "broker" sold her to a man who married her.  She finally got to South Korea, but her husband and son remain in China.  She hopes to bring them to Seoul within a year.     

  

Entering the DMZ

First stop inside the DMZ

At this point we were shown a short video of the Korean War and of the history of the DMZ.  Also, we were given explicit rules for our behavior.  They included, no photos except where and when we were told;  no shorts; no torn jeans, no wording on clothes; no flip flops; no pointing or waving at the North Korean guards; no paper or anything to be left in the building we would visit.

We traveled this far on a tour bus, but from this point to the Joint Security Area we were on a military bus with a South Korean soldier standing at the front intently watching every visitor. 

JSA - Where the North meets the South
This is our view after walking through the main South Korean building.  The blue buildings are half South Korean and half North Korean, and the large building in  the background is the main North Korean building.

These are ROK soldiers (Republic of Korea). 

If you look close, you will see the North Korean guard at the top of the stairs.

We can see that he is watching us through his binoculars.

But a closer look reveals that the serious observation is taking place from the bottom corner of the window where the sheer drape is slightly pulled aside.  

 Suddenly 6 North Korean soldiers march into position opposite the South Koreans - 3 on each side of the building.   The dividing line between the 2 countries is the concrete curb at the center of the space between the buildings.

We are ready to enter the center building as soon as the tour you see clears the building.  

Ed, Nelda, and Huw standing in North Korea.

Inside the building.   This soldier is standing at the  end of the conference table where North and South meet to talk.  Note the North Korean soldier just outside the window. 

 Gene and Sheila standing in North Korea.

There are just no words to describe the feelings we had at this time.  We were not afraid -but more than a little nervous - because the situation is not predictable.  But, to realize that we were so close to the most severe repression in the world, is overwhelming.

The door behind the soldier is where North Koreans enter the building.   

I do not know the correct Taekwondo term, but full alert stance describes the scene.  

North Korean soldiers a few feet from us.  

There is a sharp contrast in size, weight, and general appearance between the North and South soldiers.  This contrast is probably due to the differences in nutrition - life long lack of adequate nutrition.  Yet these are the elite members from the North.  

Since the mid 1970s, 4 tunnels crossing the DMZ have been dug by North Korea.
One tunnel was large enough that 2,000 troops could pass through per hour.  

The latest tunnel discovered was in 1990.  These tunnels are now open for view.

Many pray for the reunification of the nation and for 

families to be reunited after 58 years of separation. 

Korean people in general respect America, but the older generation shows a reverence for America that has touched our hearts several times.  

Recently as we waited for our bus, an elderly man approached us and in his limited English told us he was a Christian.  When he said he was 71, Gene observed that he was alive during the War.  He said yes he was 10 years old when the war began.  His next comment touched our hearts: "I saw lots of death, lots of death."  When he asked and we said we were from the USA, tears came to his eyes and he said "America is Number One.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Your men died for us".  He boarded his bus and as it drove away,  he was saluting us, and we were standing at the bus stop with tears in our eyes. 

This past week as we were walking with Brother Choe and his family, 2 men stopped to speak to us.  One appeared to be our age and the other appeared to be in his 70s.  The older man asked where we are from.  When we said USA, he asked and then gave Gene a big hug as he said "America is Number One".  Everyone was astonished at this show of emotion in this land of the respectful bow at a distance.  

Another man and another heartfelt greeting:

Our grandchildren ask: "why doesn't someone do something to stop the torture, starvation, and religious repression in North Korea?"  We do not know the answer, but we do know that we can pray, and we ask you to pray with us.   

You can learn much more about the DMZ at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Demilitarized_Zone