My thought on Panmunjom's "In Front of Them All" tour

Display of JSA soldier helmet at the tour office. Nilufar's private photo
(South Korea, November 2017)

Drizzling grey morning in the Autumn greeted me as I got out from Exit 6's Gwangwhamun Metro Station on Friday. In an instant, I felt deep mourning caught my mood as if I had had myself trapped in the manifested grieving sentiment during the Korean war.

Dark cloudy weather got me to the scene. I randomly imagined when the war broke out, this atmosphere was common but the color was not of about-to-rain clouds but black smoke billowing out from explosions that crept over everybody.

I arrived at the tour office early morning and clearly the first thing I saw inside was row of news photos about Korean War fragile victims such as hopeless starving child, innocent old male refugee sought shelter and a South Korean soldier ready with his position to shoot where viewers could also see from his expression of have-no-choice burdening feeling to kill his "brother" to protect his country.

Good choice for photo pick-up office interior decoration. Another row provided some DMZ-themed movie posters like "JSA," "Descendants of the Sun", another excellent idea to build up the mood, my mood.

Korean War-related news photo posters at the tour office.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017)

JSA/Panmunjom-inspired theme movie posters at the tour office.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017)

Display of action figures at the tour office, South and North Korea's DMZ guards.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017)

Even the tour office showcased books about North Korea and some daily goods from the country. Not to mention about rusted small piece of wire taken from the DMZ area. These presented goods provided as hints for souvenirs to buy during the one-day tour later other than acted as decent interior design for the tour operator small office on the eight floor.

Display of North Korea-related daily goods at the tour office.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017)

Display of North Korea-related daily goods at the tour office.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

Display of non-fiction books about North Korea and DMZ at the tour office.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

Tourists could feel strong propaganda here, in my opinion, South Korea over North Korea ^^ It is the truth about North Korea of course but with context in the favor to South Korea, undeniably.

Honestly, I was more drawn to put my highest interest to try on Republic of Korea (ROK) army uniform and sun glasses, well after noticing Descendants of The Sun's drama poster. Fun time! I tried quite different foolish and serious poses. The Japanese tourists who came for the same Panmunjom tour insisted taking my picture with the fake uniform and said that I was kawai he he he

Though never watch K-drama's Descendants of the Sun but I guessed this must be the name of the main protagonist. So I tried this displayed uniform at the tour office. Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017)  

But my bus finally arrived so together with the other tourists, I had to leave the tour office around 0830 in the morning and headed to the South Korea's Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), about an hour drive from Seoul.

Demilitarized Zone and Joint Security Area Tour

There are many different DMZ tour courses done from half to full day offered by approved registered DMZ/JSA tour operators in South Korea. I suggest that you do research beforehand and find the operator offering what you want to explore in DMZ if you plan to visit it.

If you are interested in taking part visiting Panmunjom or JSA (Joint Security Area), the course that takes you to a North Korea's territory and gives you chance to snap a photo of North Korean soldiers from inside the window of a blue-painted house built on the land of half part to the South and the other half to the North, then you must book your tour course months before or you won't get a seat.

An extremely little amount of time given to the tourists to take photographs of very-restricted site and military personnel do not discourage western and Japanese tourists to participate every year. The tour is always popular and often fully-booked even weeks before the course day.

My passport and visitor ID to enter the Joint Security Area.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017) 

As for me, the course I took was JSA and Imjingak in Paju area in the morning and after lunch to a modern Dorasan Station, the first station towards the North Korea (if ever happens to operate), and Dora Observatory known for its K-pop music background played when you tried looking for the huge statue of Kim Il Sung in the North Korea by the 500-KRW paid telescope. The tour guide said "We are sending K-pop music to the North," of course it inaudible by their North neighbor. Dora observatory is the only place in South korea that commands the direct view of the Kaesong Industrial Park and Kijong-dong, a North Korean village built by Pyongyang for propaganda. Before end of the course, the operator took me to the invasion Third Tunnel dug by North Korea to invade South Korea.

Dora Observatory, a place where tourists try locating the famous tall statue of Kim Il-Sung while accompanied by K-pop songs.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

Tourists must leave all their belongings, including their smart phone inside the locker. No photography inside the third tunnel.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

The colorful DMZ letters in front of The Third Tunnel's train station.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

Panmunjom Travel Center (PTC), the tour operator I joined, is widely known as the only DMZ/JSA tour operator that gives us rare opportunity to listen to a life story of a North Korean defector. Though the person has been the same since years ago so you won't get any different new story from what has been written on the blog owned by the tourist joining the same tour.

I think what most foreign tourists wish to see from the JSA/Panmunjom tour is the North Korean soldiers while the rest is so so, nothing extraordinary thrilling. Those foreign tourists were very exited, I bet most of them felt cool, to finally be in North Korea and standing at the area like being in real battle ground where they put their only life in stake.

The scene every tourist gets when visiting JSA. No chance of having other than that pose as the US Army tour guide allows photo only when the pose is like that.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

Another scene every tourist gets when visiting JSA. No chance of having other than that pose as the US Army tour guide allows photo only when the pose is like that.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

In my opinion, it's a creative business, how brilliant it is, a country is able to take this chance changing "the safest war ground" on earth to be the nation's source of income, perhaps to pay bills given by the US Army.

Along our trip we were offered to so many souvenir shop stops and indirectly persuaded us to buy, to spend our Korean Won. I blamed to the row of souvenir shops at every tourist attraction we visit he he. You're not forced to buy but you couldn't escape your impulse buying, could you? Well I won't deny it was quite bothering but it was okay too because I could get some old JSA news photos printed on the postcards. Having these postcards with photos I wished to have because I couldn't take them at the area due to restricted military rules! *sigh* I hoped to take pictures of some North Korean soldiers marching back and forth at the JSA but I couldn't.

Two out of ten postcards I bought at the JSA's souvenir shop. The postcard on below shows DMZ guards from South Korea in front of "The Bridge of No Return"
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

And oh, I like the words the tour operator said though, "Thank you for contributing to our economy," after those foreign tourists wrapped so many goods from the souvenir shop. She made me giggling all the time.

Anyway, those who like history and look for other than K-pop things, grab the chance to join the JSA/Panmunjom tour. Those who are thrilled with adrenaline pumping scenario, don't put too much hope that you'd gain an experience to be in such a life-threatening situation. It is just not.

From the so-limited time spent at the JSA, we were again left with little time to spend at Imjingak before having lunch. I should have explored more there rather than spending too much time at the open space on the top. I missed the old train full of bullets and colorful "hope and pray" ribbons below the barb-wired fences. I felt sorry for myself for not digging more information about DMZ tour before.

Unfinished railway at Imjingak where the train-full-of-bullet stays.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

Ribbons of hope and barbed wire in front of train-full-of-bullet seen from observatory deck at Imjingak.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

Try to locate the North Korea's bridge and mountains from above the Imjingak's observatory deck.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

After lunch, we were off to the Dorasan Station. I loved beautiful red maple leaves there. The scene supporting my Autumn journey in South Korea. Dorasan Station holds a railway station at the northernmost stop on South Korea's railway line. I adore how South Korea creates tag line to support their reunification discourse, "Not the last station from the South, but the first station towards the North." So touchy right? I even shed my own tears while reading it.

IMJINGAK.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

A one-thousand KRW train ticket to Pyeongyang from Dorasan.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

Pyeongyang Station is 205 kilometers from Dorasan Station.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

Inside Dorasan Station, towards Pyeongyang.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

Third (invasion) Tunnel before the sun set. The last DMZ site from the tour I took was visiting the third invasion tunnel. Before going down to the tunnel, I had to watch a movie about Korean War whose narration and choice of history excerpt surprised me.

Well it's true but making sentiment into commodity and repackaging with discourse is quite unfair, how should I put it? What I found uncomfortable is about Korean War discourse showed in a video room before we went to the third invasion tunnel, a US-made propaganda cheesy narration as if watching a US cartoon movie about Vietnam War in 1960s.

Dorasan Station.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

Dorasan Station.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

Red maple leaves at Dorasan Station.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

I couldn't even differentiate if the South and US play-victim. History is written as a pleasing discourse of the winner, if not winning yet, those aggressively aimed to be the winner. Undeniably, we gain more sympathy by showing good, patriotic, open-arm character side by side with evil, invader and closed-mind character. You create "the villain" in order to be "the hero."

What I am trying to say is both sides do the same, either North or south, create the same discourse to attack and to defend. War is unthinkably foolish for both sides, ordinary people fall victim and suffer. You will question yourself? Do we have to watch this? Not really but you can either criticize smartly of just feel nothing happened.

Too much talking about the video I had to watch because the tunnel is not as creepy as the Japanese Tunnel I went to when I was in West Sumatra. The tunnel is equipped with sufficient lamps and flat walking path on the ground, even modern electric train to reach to the lower ground from the upper ground. It has quite low height and for the close-to-170-cm me, I had to bend my body so my head wouldn't hit the rock ceiling while brisking to reach the end of the tunnel.

"In Front of Them All," fears and hopes collide

A tour bus and two young ROK army at the civilian checkpoint before entering photo-restricted zone. Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

Tree leaves along the side of the highway had begun showing their beautiful Autumn's yellow, red and brown colors. Grayish fog from this morning's rain began to fade away and wide spanned Imjin River decorated with barbed-wire fences along with military guard posts has now become clear to see. Entering the 250-kilometers-long heavily guarded territory on the Korean peninsula demarcating South Korea from North Korea, I made a three-time stop at military checkpoints to present my valid passport to the young army stationed at every Civilian Control Line for security requirements.

Autumn leaves along the highway seen from the bus to Paju area's DMZ.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

South Korea gives catchy tagline "In Front of Them All," to advertise tourism to foreigners at the heavily militarized buffer zone. Until now, South Korea and North Korea are technically still at war because in 1953, both were only signed an armistice and not a peace treaty.

The Demilitarized Zone or popularly known as DMZ is a truce line across the Korean Peninsula where military activity is forbidden for South and North Koreas. The zone has been protected from human disturbance and so has become the safe-haven for wildlife. The Joint Security Area or JSA or Panmunjom inside the DMZ is the truce village giving visitors a chance of the still simmering war tensions between two Koreas. The JSA gives an opportunity to step into a place of the only portion where South and North Korean forces stand face-to-face.

In the DMZ, two nations sharing same language and origin are vividly reflecting contradictions to one another within the same ground land.

Of course, to me, the restricted zone and the tour even tough I was told a scary story of "Axe Murder" incident, warned of hidden land mines, or previously North Korean soldier suddenly shot dead a tourist when he innocently wandered to North Korea's restricted DMZ area and had to sign "Visitor Declaration", I wasn't asked to put a ballistic helmet and wear a bulletproof vest. So, it was totally safe. Well, if it isn't safe, there won't be any tour, you're with me?

The South Korea's soldier inside the blue building, South Korea's territory.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

The South Korea's soldier inside the blue building, North Korea's territory.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

It was heart broken pain actually when I, with a penchant for young Korean man in his green DMZ guard ROK army uniform, couldn't resist staring and adoring but I was not allowed to, for security matter. He stood guarded-and-proud in his uniform, enhancing a good looking man's appearance, and had his handsome Asian face adding mysterious vibe with his cool sunglasses. He emitted courage and integrity, was willing to put his life for his country, stayed solid when I was a mess. Irresistible feeling to hug him passionately and laid my life on him was hunting me. And what is this extremely embarrassing cheesy line suddenly came out from my head?

I then realized, I wanted to take pictures of North Korean soldiers, like any other foreign tourists joining JSA/Panmunjom tour. 

Western media and bloggers often describe North Korean guards at the DMZ as "soldiers with stare ready to kill" when sharing their time-restricted tour at the JSA. I can't read minds but perhaps North Korean guards I saw actually dreamed of beautiful life, good food, peace but simply couldn't grasp them even if they wanted to.

Compared to the tall, glowing-face South Korean soldier I fell in to, the North Korean one looked thin, seemed to lack of having good food, qualified cloth uniform and as if hardship was his only choice to possess. Sad when looking into that North Korean soldier when I joined the tour. Honestly, though I'm pretty sure his self-defense and combat skill is unquestionable. 

Two North Korean soldiers seen from the window of the blue building.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017)

A South Korean soldier over the two North Korean soldiers seen from the window of the blue building.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017)

I couldn't detect his honest fear for their country's regime nor intense killing stare to me from his face, what I could see was an ordinary man looking at me like those I have meet so far during my travel days. Though, I couldn't deny so many discourses on North Korea's cruelty affected my self confidence as I felt he directed his eyes to me from the outside window. I couldn't escape the generalized stereotypes.

Facing North Korea's building at the JSA, JSA tour conducted by the North side.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

Well, I quite enjoyed the tour in general. I just wish I could have had more meaningful pictures about humanity at the JSA.  

Stories from a North Korean Defector - Rare chance!

I am thinking to write about this separately. Hopefully soon at the next page about my South Korea solo travelling. I could never find good time. My excuse only, I am aware of this.

Listening to stories of the NK's defector in the bus as I headed back to Seoul.
Nilufar's private photo (South Korea, November 2017).

Panmunjom Travel Center (PTC)*
8F, Koreana Hotel Office Building (stand next to Koreana Hotel and a mini market)
135, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul
www.panmunjomtour.com

*I heard this is the only DMZ/JSA tour operator giving tourists a chance to hear stories about life in North Korea directly from a North Korean defector.