- Location: the border between North and South Korea, the area of the village of Panmunjom
- Width: 4 km
- Length: 241 km
- Opening: July 27, 1953
For more than 60 years, the Korean peninsula has been divided into two parts. Despite the common past, today the North and South Korea are two completely different worlds, the two poles of the economy are capitalist and socialist, between which there is a principled and continuous confrontation. Between North (North Korea) and South (Republic of Korea) lies not just the border, but the demilitarized zone - a neutral territory 4 km wide and 241 km long.
What is DMZ?
In fact, the demilitarized zone is the space around a long concrete wall, carefully disguised. She divides the peninsula into almost equal parts and crosses the parallel at a slight angle. The height of the wall is 5 m, and the width is about 3 m.
On either side of the demarcation line is the territory of the military. There is a technique installed there - pillboxes, observation towers, anti-tank hedgehogs, etc.
The value of the Korean demilitarized zone
In the modern world, DMZ is considered a relic of the past, a relic of the Cold War of the 20th century along with the destroyed Berlin Wall. At the same time, the Korean Peninsula is actively used, protecting both countries from the risk of armed clashes.
Of great importance is DMZ and for the tourism industry. It is exploited to the full by South Korea, actively earning such an unusual sights . Many tourists who visit the country, strive to see this historic place.
Around the wall there is a zone that is quite capable of becoming a biosphere reserve. The fact is that for many years the human foot has not set foot here, and nature has blossomed here as in no national park of the country . In DMZ, many small wild animals and rare cranes are found, and the vegetation is very lush and from afar attracts attention.
Excursions in DMZ
Part of the demilitarized zone, accessible to tourists, is the vicinity of the village of Panmunjom. It was here that in 1953 a peace agreement was signed between the two Koreas. The entrance to the DMZ is decorated with a symbolic sculptural group. She depicts two families, unsuccessfully trying to connect the two halves of a large ball, inside which a map of the Korean peninsula is seen.
Here you can visit:
- the Imzhingak World Park with an exhibition of monuments and military artifacts;
- several viewing platforms , from where, as in the palm of your hand, you can see the demarcation line;
- barracks , where in the 50 years of the last century negotiations were held regarding the truce;
- The house of freedom - there is the same building on the contrary, on the North Korean side;
- the station of the Trans-Korean railway Dorasan , from where the concrete wall can be viewed with binoculars specially installed here for tourists;
- underground tunnel No. 3 , dug by the North Koreans for the purpose of a breakthrough and discovered by the south in 1978. This place is most striking for tourists. The tunnel has the same height and width equal to 2 m.
Tour of this area takes from 3 hours to a full day. In the first case, you will see only the station "Dorasan", one viewing platform and tunnel, and in the second - the maximum possible attractions. Photos in the demilitarized zone of Korea can be done only where it is not prohibited.
How to get to the DMZ?
It is impossible to visit this area by tourists - only organized group excursions are available. At the same time, some particularly risky travelers, interested in how to get into the demilitarized zone in Korea, manage to penetrate here alone. There is no special meaning in this, since with the English-speaking guide the trip will be much more interesting than with the Korean one.
On the road to the border between Korea in one direction takes about 1.5 hours. It is necessary to have an identification card with you - without it, an excursion is impossible. Visiting DMZ is allowed only for children over 10 years old. The cost of the trip there / back together with the excursion is from $ 100 to $ 250 dollars per person.