June of 2023 will be the 40th anniversary of the first time I set foot in Korea. It doesn’t seem that long ago, but 1983 Korea was so much different that much of it might be unrecognizable to the people of today. National security meant more at that time. It’s what you might expect in a country that was being run by an ex-military strongman who took over by force in the years following the assassination of another military strongman.
I’ve been in the DMZ — all the way up to and over the line when you consider the building in which the north and south do their negotiations. A lot of people have. I only went as a “tourist.” A tourist in uniform, but a tourist nonetheless. It was interesting and beautiful. My last trip to the border was only a couple of years ago — when I rode to the river on the north edge of Gimpo city. The river is guarded by an imposing fence and I’m sure a lot of other tech, and right on the other side is North Korea. I don’t think it’s technically the “DMZ” in that area (the “border” is the Northern Limit Line there), but it’s the next best thing for sure.
The DMZ divides the north and south, but there’s something especially unique about it. It’s one of the most naturally protected places on earth. This is more remarkable given its proximity to one of the most populous areas in the world. There has been talk of — if the north and south ever resolve their issues — preserving the DMZ as it is. I hope that, within my lifetime, this happens on all counts.
To help explore and learn more about the DMZ, Google has set up a site to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the armistice that halted outright hostilities . Take a look if you’re interested.
https://artsandculture.google.com/project/korea-dmz
A potentially unsafe, but huge nature preserve! Big Foot lives there.
yeah — perhaps the threat of the random landmine will make people behave. and bigfoot DOES live there.