We made it to Seoul! In Japan, we traveled domestically by train, and we’re doing the same here in Korea. We took the KTX from Busan to Seoul, marking the last time we’ll cover a major distance by rail on this trip.

On our first night in Seoul, we only had the time to walk around the area we are staying. We’re staying right in central Seoul, just steps from the main palaces that most tourists come to see (palaces will be in future posts).

Seoul is massive. Even though there are plenty of tourists, especially near the big landmarks, it only takes a couple of subway stops before we’re the only Westerners in sight.

We spent our first full day based in Seoul not in the city at all. Instead, we took a bus tour to the DMZ, or Demilitarized Zone, between South and North Korea. It turned out to be the most informative part of the time in Korea thus far, filling in a lot of gaps in my understanding of Korea’s history and current situation.

Before reaching the DMZ itself, our tour made a stop at the Lake Majang Suspension Bridge. It might have been more enjoyable if not for the crowds (it’s a common detour on the way to the DMZ) and the rain. Even so, it still felt like a peaceful brush with nature, even with the odds stacked against it.

After crossing a security checkpoint – passports required, no photography allowed – we arrived at Imjingak Park. The park is a symbolic site dedicated to the hope of reunification between North and South Korea. That hope is still present in its messaging, but after 70+ years of separation since the Korean War began in 1950, their relationship have regressed.

Some of the major landmarks pictured below include the Peace Train (the last train to cross the border), the Freedom Bridge, and the Peace Statue. The statue is a memorial to the Korean “comfort women” who were abused by the Japanese military during the war.

While at Imjingak, Kelly and I attended a live interview with a North Korean defector (or “refugee”, in more common terms). It was compelling to learn about the path one needs to take to get out of North Korea and make it to South Korea. It took 3 years for our particular interviewee, traveling through a Chinese broker and living in China for awhile, then traveling to Laos, and finally Thailand before making it to South Korea.

Reading the wikipedia article I linked earlier in this post about the DMZ will give you a better history lesson about the intricacies of everything involved in the Korean War and the (lack of) progress with Korea’s reunification. It’s a tricky subject as it seems like a good amount of information is only really available if in the DMZ itself and not photographable even when you are there.

Here are some photos from inside a small DMZ museum we visited just before the interview. One satellite image starkly illustrated North Korea’s electricity crisis, most of the country is dark at night, even the capital, Pyongyang. North Korea experiences chronic power shortages, with rolling blackouts being the norm. In some areas, residents receive state-supplied electricity as little as once a year. Just before the interview began, we also watched a short video about daily life in North Korea.

Our tour continued through the rain to the Third Tunnel. What is the “Third Tunnel,” you may ask? Sometime between 1953 and the 1990s, North Korea secretly attempted to infiltrate South Korea by digging tunnels beneath the DMZ. These tunnels were intended to be used for surprise attacks, but they were eventually discovered by the South Korean military, often after hearing underground explosions or noticing steam rising from the ground. Four tunnels have been discovered so far, though South Korea believes more may exist. Finding them is difficult, as the DMZ remains littered with landmines.

At this site a modern access tunnel was built that descends 350 meters to reach the Third Tunnel. It’s now a major tourist destination. While photos aren’t allowed inside the tunnel itself, the iconic DMZ sign and a monument near the entrance are pictured below.

Our tour ended with a visit to the Dora Observatory, which was recently rebuilt and offers a sweeping panoramic view into North Korea. From the observatory, you can see deep into North Korean territory, including the fences and fortifications that run along the Military Demarcation Line. As with many areas on the tour, photography is not allowed. However, below is a photo of both the old and new observatory buildings.