|
versione italiana
Sep - Oct 2002 (Demilitarized Zone (between
North & South Korea)
In October we visited no man’s land between North
and South Korea, the 4km wide area called the
DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). From one of
the observation areas along this strip of land, you can
glance into the communist North. Looking through the telescope
at the Dora Observatory, you can see a small village which
the North Koreans have built, knowing that people in South
Korea are looking over to get a glimpse. No people are
ever visible in the village and all of the lights to the
small village flick on together and at the same time every
day. It is basically a fake village of three tower blocks
made by the North Koreans for show. In the picture below
you can see a part of the view from Dora Observatory.
As part of the tour we went inside and walked through
part of the third infiltration tunnel. This tunnel was
discovered in 1978 and is one of 4 found, which the North
Koreans had built for war and which would have enabled
the North Korean army to get into South Korea and only
30 miles from Seoul. (Seoul by the way, with over 10 million
people houses a quarter of the population). 30,000 armed
soldiers an hour would have been able to move through
the tunnel. The tunnels were discovered when a North Korean
defector, a while back, told the South Koreans about the
tunnels. To find the tunnels the South Koreans dug dozens
of holes in the soil and filled the holes with water.
When the North Koreans set off dynamite in the 3rd tunnel
to continue the tunnel, the explosion caused the water
in the hole to explode into the air. Strange but true
according to the plaque in the 3rd tunnel. All of the
4 tunnels exit strategically to attack Seoul. The tunnels
are now closed in the middle of course. We walked a distance
into the 3rd tunnel until the barbed wire and a steel
door blocked our way. We all had to turn back there as
that is as far as you can go.
In the picture below on the left, I am all ready with
the safety helmet on, before going underground into the
3rd tunnel.
The Korean war took place between 1950 and 1953. The two
countries are actually still officially at war as they
signed a armistice rather a treaty. The 2 countries have
agreed to rebuild the railway linking the 2 countries
and in the picture below on the right, is the train station
we visited on the South Korea side in the DMZ.
In the photo below, we are back to everyday life in Seoul,
on the Seoul underground. The urban transportation system
here is very efficient; it’s cheap, very punctual
and reliable, trains and buses come very often and every
area of Seoul is well connected to the other areas. It’s
something we are really going to miss after leaving Seoul!
NB. The trains are often a hell of a lot more crowded
than when we took this photo.
Below on the left is a picture of a bus stop near where
we live and, on the right, one of the many Seoul buses.
The photo was taken on a Sunday afternoon, in one of the
busiest areas in Seoul on weekends. It’s the oldest
part, where there are lots of palaces, museums but also
shops and cinemas in the touristy area of 'Insadong'.
Picture with a story: The picture
below nearly got our camera confiscated by the South
Korean soldier, who had warned Valeria that we were
not allowed to take pictures from the terrace of the
observatory. Unaware of this, I egged Valeria into taking
a picture of me in that area and this was followed by
threats from the angry soldier. He didn't take the camera
in the end and we have out photos.
|
