The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

Cold war, anyone? A week ago, we went to the ol' DMZ, the 2 kilometers of ecological splendor that lies between North and South Korea. It was pretty interesting. We went in the tunnels that the North Koreans dug into South Korea. (Of course, North Korea accuses South Korea of digging the tunnels into North Korea in a move of diplomatic deception on par with "I know what you are, but what am I?") Also, in the museum, there are many instances where, under "escalations in military tensions," it says things like "Secret agent penetrated in Pyeonyang." I think they meant "infiltrated." But I don't know if the Geneva convention applies here.
But, jokes aside, it was pretty harrowing to look in the telescopes at the North Korean houses, all grey, all identical, and all in clumps. (The picture to your left is about as good a picture as you're allowed to get of the North.) There was a North Korean flag at the top of a super tall flag pole on the propaganda center. It was also about 20 degrees, and there was a hardcore cold wind coming from (you guessed it) the North. It was pretty poignant.




After the Demilitarized Zone, we went to a train station that was built solely to help convince the North to reunify and open up travel between North and South Korea. Bush Jr. came here to make a speech, and they have a big monument to it in the station. The station is quiet, and there was snow over the tracks. Oh so poignant, yet again. But maybe someday they'll be used.