EnterTheVoid Posted April 19, 2013 Posted April 19, 2013 North Korea is the most isolated country in the world. Considered an intelligence black hole, it is truly the last Stalinist state of its kind. Today, I had the opportunity of visiting North Korea. Our journey into North Korea starts in Seoul, South Korea where we make our way up to the DMZ. Korea is the only divided country in the world and the DMZ, or the Demilitarized Zone as it is sometimes referred to, is the de facto border between North and South Korea and is considered one of the most dangerous places in the world. There are an estimated two million mines along the border, a million odd troops on either side of the border and thousands of artillery, rockets and other heavy weaponry pointed at each other. Bill Clinton once called the DMZ the ¨scariest place on Earth”. Getting to the DMZ isn’t easy. Geographically speaking, it is only an hour and half’s drive from Seoul but to get there, one needs to drive through some fifteen odd military checkpoints with the area lined with machine gun turrets, sniper hideouts, areas sealed off through barbed wire, anti tank roadblocks, mine fields and others. Some of the buildings within the DMZ contain concrete laced with dynamite such that they can be detonated in the case of a surprise invasion. A lot of the areas within the DMZ are militarily sensitive and photography of any kind is strictly forbidden in certain areas. We were forewarned of the areas where picture/video taking of any kind was prohibited and the consequences if we are found to be in breach of this violation. Photography is not allowed for a vast majority of the DMZ, it is something you have to experience for yourself. Going to the DMZ in the current situation is extremely dangerous. Summarizing what has happened so far: 1. The United States and South Korean military have been holding joint military exercises that have commenced early April and are likely to continue through to the end of the month. 2. North Korea have issued threats to strike South Korea and the intercontinental United States with ballistic and/or nuclear missiles 3. Japan has deployed patriot missiles in and around Tokyo to shoot down any incoming missiles that encroach into their territory. 4. The United States has sent Aegis destroyer war ships to the Korean peninsulas to track down the trajectory of any incoming North Korean missiles and shoot down if they are intended for continental United States, its troops in Guam or their allies Japan and/or South Korea. 5. The United States has also sent nuclear capable B2 and B52 stealth bombers on a training run from the states to South Korea and back in a show of strength and solidarity. Although a person may be granted access into the DMZ, they may not be allowed access to the JSA (Joint Security Area) and step foot into North Korea. As an instance, Korean nationals are not allowed access to the JSA. North Korea on the other hand, makes it impossibly difficult for anyone to tour their country. They do not want anyone disturbing their 100% homogenous country that is 100% ruled by 1 man, Kim Jong Un. With all that said and done, how on earth does one gain access into North Korea? Well, you go straight to the top diplomatic body in the world, the United Nations. Here is the security pass that allowed me access into the JSA: Once inside the JSA, here is a list of the rules you are expected to follow: At all points throughout the JSA, we were under constant armed protection of either the United States and/or South Korean military. At no stage where we ever allowed to do anything, touch anything and/or see anything without their explicit consent and permission. The seriousness of the dangers we have exposed ourselves to is exemplified by the fact that those giving the tour, were serving members of the United States Marine Corps posted there to maintain the armistice that was signed at the end of the Korean war in 1953. To the border with North Korea, we were driven around in a UN marked military bus with a United States marine inside for our protection. Once we reach the border, there it is, a few feet away from where we are standing, North Korea: The plank of wood separating the sand and gravel represents the military demarcation line that cuts the Korean peninsula in half, with the gravel and the sand representing the Northern and Southern halves of the Korean peninsula respectively: To be continued …
EnterTheVoid Posted April 19, 2013 Author Posted April 19, 2013 More updates to come, watch this space.
zubinpepsi Posted April 19, 2013 Posted April 19, 2013 great thread.. looking fwd to this.. :two_thumbs_up: btw, can you also mention what the consequenses are if you break the rules ( like touching somethings or taking photos)
Sachin=GOD Posted April 19, 2013 Posted April 19, 2013 :two_thumbs_up::two_thumbs_up: Hope you have a safe journey..
EnterTheVoid Posted April 19, 2013 Author Posted April 19, 2013 I am back in South Korea now, I will upload the pictures progressively. Being driven around by the United States military around the North-South Korean border in an armoured bullet proof military vehicle is the most incredible thing I have ever experienced. Given armoured protection by the American and South Korean military and para military whilst we cross the border and step foot into North Korea was pretty slick as well.
SLICKR392 Posted April 19, 2013 Posted April 19, 2013 Good OT.. So you did enter the void. :two_thumbs_up:
EnterTheVoid Posted April 19, 2013 Author Posted April 19, 2013 We were warned beforehand not to wave, engage and/or gesticulate towards the North Korean soldiers in any way. For good reason too, as you can see in the following photograph, we were being watched North Korean soldiers through their binoculars just a few feet away from us. If we engage with them, they may use it as part of their propaganda against South Korea and/or the United States. Things are tense enough as they are, no need to instigate anything else.
ravishingravi Posted April 19, 2013 Posted April 19, 2013 Couldn't have picked a better time to be there
EnterTheVoid Posted April 19, 2013 Author Posted April 19, 2013 A fair indication of just how heavily militarised the DMZ is. Technically, the two Koreas are still in a state of war as they have not signed a peace treaty at the end of the Korean war.
EnterTheVoid Posted April 19, 2013 Author Posted April 19, 2013 The blue buildings of the JSA are where negotiators from the two Koreas meet for discussions. They are built such that they cut the military demarcation line in half, with half of the building in South Korea and the remaining half in North Korea. Looking at the border from inside the building: Inside the JSA are two soldiers posted for our protection. These soldiers stand in a modified stance of Taekwondo called ROK (Republic Of Korea) – Ready and wear dark rimmed sunglasses so as not to antagonize the North Korean soldiers in any way. One ROK solider guards the entrance whilst the other keeps an eye on us such that we do not anything that we are told not to. We can take pictures with the ROK soldiers but are told not to engage in any actions that will interfere with their duties in any way. If we do, they WILL retaliate and from what I am told, it won’t be pretty.
EnterTheVoid Posted April 19, 2013 Author Posted April 19, 2013 Couldn't have picked a better time to be there You could feel the tension in the air, it was extremely tense.
EnterTheVoid Posted April 19, 2013 Author Posted April 19, 2013 South Korean soldiers standing outside the negotiation buildings for our protection and safety: The American marine who was guiding us through the JSA:
Raghav_12 Posted April 19, 2013 Posted April 19, 2013 wow.you couldn't have found a better time.. I didn't get from your write up whether you stepped into Noth Korean side of border?
EnterTheVoid Posted April 19, 2013 Author Posted April 19, 2013 I didn't get from your write up whether you stepped into Noth Korean side of border? I did. That was the whole point of going inside the blue negotiation buildings. Half in south, half in north, you technically cross over into North Korea. The ROK (Republic Of Korea) soldiers are stationed inside the building so that you don't get forcefully dragged by the North Koreans into their side of the DMZ.
EnterTheVoid Posted April 19, 2013 Author Posted April 19, 2013 Train tickets to Pyeongyang (North Korean capital) anyone? Well, maybe one day when the Korean peninsula in unified. When it is, they plan on constructing a high speed train network that connects Korea to Europe via China, Russia and far east Siberia.
EnterTheVoid Posted April 19, 2013 Author Posted April 19, 2013 Welcome to the end of the world. These pictures represent 1% of whats there at the DMZ. If you could see what I saw, well, ... words fail me.
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