NORTH KOREAN SOLDIER (PANMUNJOM)

I visited Korea in 1997. I discovered there was a group, that they took up once a week, to the DMZ at Panmunjom; to the very house where the peace talks took place in 1957. I signed up. On the four-hour bus ride from Seoul (155 miles), they give you a piece of paper to sign, which basically releases the tour company from any liability, should you get shot. You don't sign, you don't get off the bus. I signed. So...You get off the bus and walk a bit to this very simple house with only a table inside. Through the center of the house, running over the table as well, was a black line that separated N. Korea from S. Korea. So, while in the house, you could walk over the line into NK.

Monitoring our visit, were these jovial fellows, members of the N. Korean military. They walk around the house, peering into the windows. The tour directors told us not to acknowledge these soldiers in any way, whatsoever, as that could lead to tensions that weren't much appreciated by anyone. And, of course, there was that paper we signed. Whatever.

KoolKat Photography

It's not what you look at that matters. It's what you see - Thoreau

KOREA