The DMZ_Our Tour Through the Land Between North and South Korea

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The DMZ: Our Tour Through the Land Between North and South Korea

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The DMZ: Our Tour Through the Land Between North and South Korea

May 17, 2025

By Carlton Landingham II

Today we visited the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone), the demilitarized zone between North Korea and South Korea. It is an expansive four-kilometer zone keeping the peace between the north and the south. It was established after the Korean War in 1953 and has served as a symbol of peace between the two countries. We were accompanied by a South Korean tour guide by the name of Katie, who was extremely well-versed in the knowledge of the DMZ.

To begin our tour, we went to an observatory in the furthest north part of South Korea. From here, we were able to look into North Korea. From the vantage point, we could see the fake city North Koreans built for propaganda purposes. We were also able to see the North Korean city of Chongjin, which is the third largest city in North Korea. It was very interesting being able to look into North Korea. The fact the country was so close in distance, yet so isolated from the rest of the world left me with mixed feelings. On one hand, it was cool to see a country most people don't get to see. On the other hand, I felt sad and somewhat guilty that I was so close to these North Korean people, but there was nothing to do to improve their well-being.

The next and final stop was the third underground tunnel built by North Korean forces. This tunnel was intended to be used for a large-scale underground invasion of Seoul by the North Korean forces. If these tunnels were not discovered by the South Korean people, the country might not exist today. The tunnel, which was one of four discovered, spanned for many kilometers running from the North Korean homeland all the way to Seoul. Our tour guide Katie had wonderful insight on these tunnels, and we were able to go into and walk through the tunnel. I think it’s safe to say that our group enjoyed the DMZ!

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