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Field Trip to the DMZ and North Korea
April 10, 2009 12:52 PM
By Lama Hasan, ABC News correspondent, North Korea
As we drive down a South Korean freeway lined with cherry blossoms, the landscape quickly changes to barbed wire and fences dotted with military outposts. Less than an hour’s drive from the capital of Seoul is the Demilitarized Zone, also known as the DMZ.
It is the world’s most heavily militarized area where hundreds of thousands of troops are stationed on the southern side of the Korean peninsula. They’re mostly South Korean, but there are also some 28,000 U.S. troops supporting them. With Chinook helicopters flying over our heads, security is stringent here with landmines, barbed wire and bunkers.
Before driving into the area we, along with a pack of other journalists, were loaded onto a bus and given blue arm bands with the word “media” written on them.
You get the feeling you’re going into a potentially hostile area. And there’s good reason, because this is where you find the demarcation line that splits the country, dividing north from south.
After being taken through a large glass building called the Peace House, we arrived at the Panmunjum area, or JSA, which is often called the Truce Village. Standing on the steps of the Peace House, our guide points out the North Korean soldier on the opposite side -- he's staring back at us through his binoculars. We were given strict instructions not to communicate or gesture to the soldier.
Beneath the steps is a compound of several small blue houses, where the Armistice talks of the early 1950s that established the DMZ took place. We were quickly ushered into one of houses, called the T2 building. Inside the building were lacquered tables, chairs, a UN flag and two soldiers wearing shades who stood guard in a martial arts pose, hands clenched, poised for action. It’s a pose that is designed to intimidate.
The demarcation line is literally a long slab of concrete, and the line itself is a no man’s land buffer zone. For a brief moment, we were allowed to cross over the line which technically meant we were in North Korea.
Our trip today has some significance because North Korea’s supreme council has re-elected Kim Jong Il as their leader for a third term. The vote ended months of careful planning. It’s no coincidence the country test-fired a rocket earlier this week, a show of force meant to illustrate its technological prowess and military might. So, no surprises or changes in Pyongyang today. And the “Dear Leader” is rarely seen or heard in public, but today he appeared in parliament, visibly looking older, but he did not speak. There has been speculation about his health after he reportedly suffered a stroke last summer.
Back on the southern side of the border, we were given a briefing by the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (the NNSC), with members from Sweden, Switzerland and Poland. According to Swiss MG Jean-Jacques Joss, their mission includes “supervising, observing, inspecting and investigating the rotation of units personnel and replacement of combat aircraft, armored vehicles, weapons, and ammunition.” All these points were agreed on in 1953, when the Armistice was finalized. As for their future and how long they’ll remain there, MG Joss says it all depends on “Pyongyang’s regime, its nuclear program, regional balance, and the six part talks.”
After North Korea’s last rocket launch in 2006, the North Korean guards were described as having a slight swagger, they could be seen smiling as if to show how proud they were of their country’s achievements. But that’s not the case following this recent launch. MG Joss said they have not noticed a change in their demeanour. Just business as usual on the Northern side of the DMZ.
Following the briefing, we were carted off to another site that showed another North Korean military watch tower and again were cautioned not to communicate with them. Our guide pointed out towers in the distance, which turned out to be the nation’s jamming devices. These stop residents from receiving TV signals, effectively cutting them from the outside world.
Our tour of the DMZ lasted for only 90 minutes, but it gave us a sense of just how these two nations, once united are now divided and how deep these divisions still run.
Read more blogs by Lama Hasan
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April 10, 2009 in Lama Hasan | Permalink | User Comments (4)
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I wish I could live in North Korea. It seems so clean, organized, and free of crime.
Posted by: I.M. Pistov | Apr 10, 2009 2:54:41 PM
those poor brain washed people really think that the NK army can fight the U.S.
Posted by: Josh from South Carolina | Apr 11, 2009 12:36:33 AM
Hey I was there a few years back. Thought it was awesome. Lived inS Korea for a year and really understand life near the DMZ. Kind of scary at times but hey one can have their eyes open. Hope tat you enjoyed having the opportunity to see something like this.
Posted by: norm blaisdell | Apr 12, 2009 9:25:47 AM
Interesting to find that we have 28,000 troops stationed along the DMZ. US troops are deployed in 153 out of 192 countries recognized by the United Nations, all paid for by US taxpayers. Our biggest problem now is that there are not enough employed taxpayers to carry the burden.
Posted by: Tomkker | Apr 15, 2009 2:41:49 PM
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