SOUTH KOREA IN SPRING (Contd)

A Confucian? temple in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to meet the spiritual needs of forces serving there. I also spied a chapel nearby. We decided to go and see a bit of N Korea from the DMZ as well as stand the chance of being shot or injured by joining a tour. Technically, the two Koreas are still at war as after the Korean War, an armistice was signed but no treaty as yet. The US Forces have maintained a battalion there to help the S Korea forces uphold the armistice.

The JSA (Jt Services Area) Visitor Centre in the DMZ. This is where briefings are given to visitors. There is also a gift shop which sells very nice ice cream amongst other souvenirs. Civilians are not normally admitted into the DMZ which is highly protected unless they join a DMZ tour.

The blue building on the left (with open door) is where the talks leading to the Armistice took place. From time to time, reps from the peace-keeping forces and the two Korean authorities will continue to meet in the building. A telephone line on a table in the centre of the building denotes the demarcation line between the two Koreas. In the background is the N Korean "OP" where a guard is deployed ( can see him if you enlarge the pic). In addition, there is a machine gun deployed within the building to be used anytime violence breaks out! Visitors are briefed to dress decently and to not engage the N Korean soldiers in conversation or facial gestures to prevent provoking them. That is where the danger of being shot or injured lies in the last bastion of cold war in the Korean Peninsula.

Two specially trained S Korean soldiers stand guard in the N Korean side of the building to deter any intention to defect to the North or to prevent mischief. They are Taekwando experts who will not hesitate to use their martial skills to achieve the purpose. In an earlier incident, some crazy fella tried to dash across the demarcation line causing the N Korean soldiers to open fire. The result was that some soldiers were killed or injured. There is also the "Axe Incident" in 1976 when the US forces tried to trim a poplar tree for a better view of the North. A fracas broke out resulting in N Korean soldiers hacking a US Bn Comdr and a senior rank to death. After that soldiers hitherto deployed from both Korean sides in each other's territories were withdrawn.

Some 31 tunnels were dug by the North to infiltrate the South. The number was revealed by a N Korean defector. To date, four tunnels have been uncovered. A schematic of the third one is given as photos are disallowed in the tunnel.

Self-explanatory situation map of the Korean War.

Shot of N Korea taken from the DMZ OP (Observation Post). On the right the road leading to the Kaesong Industrial Park can be seen. The S Koreans have withdrawn from the project after the North persisted in their rocket and missile tests to provoke the South.

The DMZ OP. As I sense it, the South is keen to have unification but the North is playing coy.

The Dorasan Unification Platform. The South is hoping that unification will enable the rail link to be re-established to the North and thence to the rest of Asia and Europe. The link was severed after the South pulled out of the Kaesong Project.

To enter the unification platform, a ticket has to be purchased and it entitles one to also collect a stamp on the ticket for remembrance.

S Korea is hoping to re-establish the rail link with the North and thence to the Trans-Eurasian Network. But, if they keep the Cold War, the Chinese will beat them to it with their OBOR!

The rail line is part of the Gyeongui Railway network.

Myeongdong in Seoul is where all woman visitors to S Korea go and shop for cosmetics. It's crowded like Shinjuku in Tokyo.

A Myeongdong vendor of rice cakes and something similar to Malaysian satay celup! Others sell baked lobsters and giant scallops, amongst other mouth-watering food.