USO DMZ Tour

I am finally able to cross off the DMZ, which is on the top of my Korea To Do List. I had heard that the USO tour was the best. After several attempts to book a tour, I was finally able to secure a reservation for November 5th. In preparation of the tour I read Somewhere Inside by Lisa and Laura Ling and was super hyped for the tour. The tour started at 9:00 am in Seoul, which meant I had to take the first train to Seoul, which was at 7:07 am.

When we arrived at Camp Kim USO, we checked in, boarded the bus at 8:45, and we departed at 9:00. It took about an hour to get the DMZ. The whole time to the DMZ I was looking at the clouds in hopes it would clear as there was a strong chance of rain. Luck was on our side and we actually experienced wonderful weather once we arrived to our destination.

The first stop was the Third Infiltration Tunnel. This tunnel was discovered by South Korea in 1978 with help from a defector. When North Korea was confronted about the tunnel, they blamed the South of making the tunnel to get into the North. However, the evidence suggests otherwise. There where drill marks found in the tunnel used to put dynamite into the walls; all the drill marks are coming from the north and are pointing south. Then North Korea stated that they where making the tunnels for coal mining and painted the the inside of the tunnel black.

Pictures were strictly prohibited and we had to put our belongings in a locker before we went down to the tunnel. We had to get a hard hat, which I honestly thought would be unnecessary. We then had to walk down a steep walkway. Once we got to the bottom we proceeded into the tunnel. The tunnel was not as narrow as I imagine. There was enough space for people to be walking of both side. The tunnel was a lot shorter then I expected and discovered there was a use for the hard hat after all. After walking to the end of the tunnel, which I did bent down most of the way we saw the 3rd wall that was built by South Korea on the DMZ boarder. I was also able to look into a window and see the 2nd wall.

After the tunnel, we were given time to shop at the souvenir shop.

Our next stop was the Dora Observatory. At the Dora Observatory we got our first glimpse of the North. With 500 won I was able to use the binoculars get a closer look. I did not see any cars, but I did see a person on a motorcycle and three people on bicycles. I was also able to see the huge North Korean flag and the huge flag pole that accompanied it. We latter learned that the flag actually weighs 600 pounds! I was  not able to get any good pictures at the observatory because we where not able to take pictures past the yellow line.

Gabriela and Lisa trying to get a good picture of the North

My first view of North Korea

After the Observatory we went to the Dorasan Train Station. This station is now an abandon station, which had an empty feeling to it. The Station was built on donated money and the trains were designed  to take raw materials to the Kaesong Industrial Region and returned them as finished goods. The Kaesong Industrial Region is an area with factories in North Korea. At some point, relations between North and South were good and they came to an agreement that would benefit both sides. By the South participating in this agreement, they where able to get cheap labor by North Korea and as a result be able to get cheap finished goods. North Korea benefited by the new jobs that were created. According to our tour guide, Bok Choy (her real name) relations went sour after a South Korean tourist, who was visiting North Korea was shot and killed by a 16-year-old soldier because she went in an area she was not supposed to be at.

At 12:00 it was time for lunch, and we headed to the only Restaurant in town which was designed to accommodate all the tourist who visit the DMZ. There were only two options: bibimbap and bulgogi. I must note that I really enjoyed the timing of the tour. The whole time it seemed like we were ahead of the crowd and was never bombarded with crowds. Every time we were leaving a location tons of tourist would just be getting there. Lunch was no different. It was just perfect timing for the whole day. 

 After lunch, we headed to the grand finale of the tour. I must say this was my favorite part of the tour and is what made the tour for me. We arrived at Camp BONIFAS and had to present our passports to a soldier, we latter found out was going to also be guide for this part of the tour.

Specialist BLOOD 

There were two tour groups and two soldiers to escort us. First we received a tour brief at the JSA Visitor's Center. Immediately we were told we would not be able to take pictures unless they told us we could. In the briefing we got an introduction of where we were going to go and what we were going to see. When we finished with the briefing we had to get on a bus that was not our tour bus. 

Our first stop was the Freedom House. We got out of the bus and lined up inside. We then walked to the other side that lead to the Conference Row. We were able to go into the conference building T 2. Inside there were two South Korean Soldiers who held a Tae Kwon Do stance the whole time they are there. 

Here is one of the guards. They guy in the red is actually standing in North Korea.

Here we are in North Korea

We were then lead outside and we were allowed to take pictures but only pointing north. 

A North Korean Soldier

After our time was up we proceeded through the Freedom House again and back on to the bus. We then drove past the 1978 Ax Murder site. 

There was  once a tree here that needed to be trimmed since it was blocking the view of a South Korean Post. When the trimming began, North Korean soldiers used the axe from the trimming company and attacked U.S. and South Korean soldiers. 

Then we were taken to a location where we were surrounded by three sides by North Korea. 

Here is a better look at the huge flag.

It was such a pretty day and it was almost peaceful being out here. The DMZ has turned into a natural preserve. I saw the most wild life here then I've seen anywhere in Korea. So many different birds and bugs. Specialist Blood informed us that this is also home to a rare kind of deer called vampire deer. This deer does not grow antlers, but rather grows fangs and are also blind. He said that instead of running away from noise they run straight to it. Soldiers have several encounters with the deer when they are exercising outside. 

There was no cell phone reception from this point since North Korea has towers to block anything coming into from the South. 

We then got back on the bus and drove past the bridge of no return. 

This bridge goes to North Korea and was used for prisoner exchanges. During the war, the U.S. captured a lot of North Koreans and they were brought here and told they had to choose where they wanted to live. If they crossed the bridge to go back to the North they would not be allowed to return and that is how the bridge got its name. 

On our way back to where the tour started we passed a telephone area that was set up for any North Koreans who did get through and wanted to pass safely. 

Once we got back to the visitor's center we were given time to shop at the souvenir shop and see the museum located on the second floor, and then we where on our way back to Camp Kim USO. 

I loved this tour and I would definitely recommend it to others. I would have not liked to do anything longer since I was exhausted when I got home. I was able to experience everything I hoped for. I am now a little obsessed with North Korea and after the tour I went to straight to What the Book in Itaewon and purchased The Aquariums of Pyongyan a Memoir of life in North Korean labor camp. I am excited to continue learning/reading about the so called hermit kingdom.