I was in South Korea for about a month, and I went up to the DMZ, which is available for tourists, but not, interestingly, for Koreans, because of the armistice (or so I was told).
In the DMZ (demilitarized zone), down the middle, is the line separating North and South. There is a quonset hut straddling the line; the tour takes you there.
This may sound quaint, but this is a very dangerous place. The North Koreans have been very unpredictable in the past. The U.S. and ROK forces are as serious as a heart attack about the risks.
Inside that quonset hut, is a table. Down the middle of the table, is a microphone wire. "That wire marks the line between north and south. Go across the table, you are in North Korea; or stay on this side, and you are relatively more safe," the well-armed U.S. soldier told us.
He wasn't exactly kidding. Armed North Korean soldiers were on the other side of the north door of the hut. Based on past behavior, it's not crazy to think they might burst in. (They didn't.)
So--I went on the other side of the table. I was in North Korea.
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I was in South Korea for about a month, and I went up to the DMZ, which is available for tourists, but not, interestingly, for Koreans, because of the armistice (or so I was told).
In the DMZ (demilitarized zone), down the middle, is the line separating North and South. There is a quonset hut straddling the line; the tour takes you there.
This may sound quaint, but this is a very dangerous place. The North Koreans have been very unpredictable in the past. The U.S. and ROK forces are as serious as a heart attack about the risks.
Inside that quonset hut, is a table. Down the middle of the table, is a microphone wire. "That wire marks the line between north and south. Go across the table, you are in North Korea; or stay on this side, and you are relatively more safe," the well-armed U.S. soldier told us.
He wasn't exactly kidding. Armed North Korean soldiers were on the other side of the north door of the hut. Based on past behavior, it's not crazy to think they might burst in. (They didn't.)
So--I went on the other side of the table. I was in North Korea.
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