In this #PostcardsToNowhere, I am taking you back to Asia, but this time it isn’t all sunrises and temples. No, I am taking you to the little more controversial North Korean border! If you watch the news, tensions were high right between the US, North Korea, and South Korea. But now, the Korean War is over! (for now unless someone makes someone angry on Twitter…) While a lot of the hype is perpetuated in the news, the history between North and South Korea is still extremely fascinating. There are many rules and regulations between the two, and the US Armed Forces still has a presence in Korea since the Korean war.
I was able to visit South Korea back in End of September-October of 2014. Now, at this time “tensions were really high between the two Korea’s” and a lot of my family was worried. Funny thing is, the day I left for SK, the Umbrella Movement broke out in Hong Kong and was deemed ‘unsafe’ at the time (which was a total crock!). Funny, how I was safer in South Korea than originally thought! But again, everything is truly blown out of proportion. Anywho, as Seoul is not that far from the North Korean border, it is possible to day trips to the DMZ.
The (Korean) DMZ, also known as a demilitarized zone and not to be confused with the state government of torture (DMV), is a border serving as a buffer between North and South Korea. It is filled with land mines, boobytraps, and bombs to deter people from leaving and entering North Korea. And yep, you guessed it, you can go on a tour there. It is over 160 miles long, about 2.5 miles and wide and there is a Joint Security Area (JSA) where representatives from the two countries can meet and discuss. It was one of the most intense tours of my life, especially at the JSA, where you are taking pictures while North Korean soldiers have their guns ready and are staring at your with binoculars, and South Korean soldiers are yelling at you to be quick, not make sudden movements, and to GO GO GO.
As scary as it sounds, there is a gift shop filed with postcards, bullet keychains (yes…bullet keychains) and golf balls, all of which I got for myself and family, because you know, that one time at the North Korean border…
