Panmunjeom through Scottie’s eyes:
Today was the day we could say we were on the Korean peninsula, not just in South Korea and not just in North Korea, but the entire peninsula. It was our trip to Panmunjeom, where we went to the Joint Security Area and the DMZ. Between the strict dress code, heightened tensions between the two countries and military exercises being done by the US and South Korea, we were all really nervous to go, especially when we found out that our Courtney and Sandy (our trip coordinators) AND Mr. Hwang (our trip coordinator in Korea) weren’t going! Holt did not organize our tour, but instead, signed us up to join a tour through the Korean Tourism Bureau, which is the only way to go to the DMZ. So for this trip, we were joined by a tour guide who went by the English name Laura and many other tourists from all over the world.
On the way to the DMZ, we first stopped at Unification Park in the town of Munsan. Here we saw a variety of memorials, with the majority of the memorials (if not all of them) relating to the Korean War. After a quick look, we had a wonderful lunch and continued on.
Next we stopped at Imjingak Tourist Resort; to best describe it:
“The sadness and pain left by the [Korean] war that started in June 25th, 1950, ca be felt here through the various remains and displays. It is a place where over millions of visitors come annually to pray for the reunification of the nation.”
It was our first time to be on the border, near the barb wired fence, between North and South Korea. At this site, we saw all the wishes of the Korean people (and tourists) for a united peninsula; people would purchase a ribbon, write a note and stick it on a fence. We also saw the Bridge of Freedom, where 13,000 South Korean prisoners of war crossed back to freedom and where 82,000 North Korean prisoners went back to North Korea after the Korean War. There was also an alter for families who have been divided or for families who have buried family members in Korea. Since Koreans normally visit the gravesites of ancestors to pay their respects, and families were separated or defected to South Korea, an alter of this kind is of significant importance to the people. People can come here and do what they would normally do at gravesites that are in North Korea. In another part of the area, there were four sculptures, out of wood, in the shape of people. One is standing tall, the second is shorter and is more in the ground, the third is in the ground more and the fourth is almost all in the ground. The sculpture represents the hope of the Korean people and how it’s slowly losing hope for unification.
The last object worth mentioning at Imjingak is the steam locomotive. The conductor was driving military supplies and had to abandon the locomotive, as it was destroyed with more than 1,020 bullet holes. Laura told us that the driver felt awful that he had to abandon his locomotive but about 50 years later, he was able to revisit the locomotive and the man felt completely relieved to be able to see it again. It now stands as a symbol of the war on the Korean peninsula.
Finally it was time to go to the DMZ. Laura was wonderful to help remind us of the rules and of the dress code. When we arrived at the DMZ, we were no longer allowed to take pictures until told; our passport was checked twice and we were checked to make sure we had followed the dress code. After we were allowed into Camp Advance or Camp Bonifas, the northern-most South Korean military base which has Korean and American, we went straight to a building that the United Nationals Command Support Group uses. We were only allowed to bring what we could fit into our pockets (ie our valuables) and a camera in hand. We weren’t allowed to bring any wallets or camera cases. We had a quick history lesson and were told about a couple of incidents in the DMZ. Even though people had been repeating that Korea was still at war and no one could guarantee our safety 100%, listening to these incidents was a real wake up call that said Korea is still in the middle of a war.
We then had to board a military bus; our driver was a soldier and then we had an additional solider on our bus with us. Once we were on the bus, we were not allowed to stand, take pictures or point. Instead, Laura told us if we wanted to point, we needed to use our chins (which was mildly amusing for all of us!). We drove pass the world’s most dangerous golf course (one hole, par 3, surrounded by landmines) and drove straight to the Joint Security Area. Before it was the Joint Security Area, there were North and South Korean building interspersed in this area; after the “tree chopping incident,” it was decided to make more of a division between the buildings and split the area in half. In the Joint Security area, we were allowed to go into the main conference building and we were allowed to take pictures (Tourists coming from South and North Korea both are allowed in this building when it is available to the public; it might not be available due to more North Korean guards, meetings that are happening etc). This is the building where you see diplomats having talks between North and South. It was here where we were able to cross the Military Demarcation Line and technically, be in North Korea.
Within the building, there was one table with three microphones on it, which represents the line between the two countries. There were also three South Korean soldiers: there was the one who rode with us, one who stood in the middle and one who stood about 2 feet in front of the door that leads to North Korea. We were not allowed to stand behind the guards and had to be at least 2 feet away from them; if something should happen, they need to be able to react quickly and without obstacles. Outside, a raised cement block divides the two countries. We had no more than 5 minutes inside this building and before we knew it, we were outside for about five minutes and took pictures of the outside. We all did our best to not point or wave because there was a North Korean solider who could see us from the other side and we were told that the North Korean soldiers hide in the other buildings with cameras; they want to take pictures of Americans to use as propaganda.
With our cameras put away, we sat and did our best not to point as we continued on. We drove pass the point of the “tree chopping incident”; the tree no longer exists but we can only imagine that it would have been huge to have blocked the view from a lookout in South Korea to a lookout in North Korea (which sits on a hill). Then drove pass the Bridge of No Return where the two countries would trade prisoners of war. Once the prisoners were returned, they were no longer allowed to return to the other side. After quickly taking pictures of both of these points, we sat back down and were taken to the souvenir shop. Once we left the DMZ, we all finally felt like we could breathe again. It was an incredibly intense day because no one wanted to make the wrong move! However, in the end, we all understood, just a bit better, the 50+ year situation on the Korean peninsula, and for some of us, it is the beginning of our adoption stories.
Holt-Bethany Korea Adult Adoptee Tour 