The Two Koreas

Last week, I checked off one of the top activities on my to-do list: I went to Korea’s Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the 38^th parallel. I always wanted to visit this place as a kid. It divides North and South Korea, separating people of the same blood and history. My mother and father would tell me stories about their childhood during the 1960s and 1970s. South Korea was a poor, war-torn country after the Korean War. As a result, my parents lived in near poverty and held negative views about the North. Growing up, it was a scary topic, but I always wanted to see the country for myself. This opportunity allowed me to get my first glimpse of the most mysterious and isolated country in the world.

I didn’t know what to expect when I first arrived at the DMZ. In my mind, I imagined military personnel at every corner and a gloomy atmosphere at all times. What I saw, however, was completely different. I rarely saw anyone on the scene, especially at the Joint Security Area. The tour guide explained that the peace talks in 2018 relaxed the security measures. The soldiers were unarmed, facing south instead of north, and they were only at the scene during tours. I did not see any North Korean soldiers

To be honest, the tour itself felt slightly artificial. The guides expected us to take pictures and allowed us to do so at certain locations. They gave a brief explanation of the sights and ended their talk with the phrase “now take your pictures.” For me, this gave the whole thing an artificial feeling—and rightfully so. The DMZ is one of the most heavily guarded places in the world, and it is the boundary between two “warring” countries. The fact that they have tourists come and visit the place for profit strikes me as quite odd. The DMZ symbolizes so much for the Korean people; a tour cannot do it justice. In order for foreigners, including myself, to understand it fully would be too much. Nonetheless, I took in this opportunity.

So, what was my first impression of North Korea?

North Korea looked a lot like South Korea. The geography is identical and both countries have a small city outside the border. I don’t know why this shocked me so much. Maybe it was because of all the negative connotations associated with North Korea in the West. In reality, however, these people are very similar to us. They eat, drink, farm, etc. The only thing separating them from the rest of the world is their leader and government.

Overall, I feel grateful for my trip to the DMZ. It made me more aware or the issues surrounding the two countries; it made me understand that the “mysterious” North Korea is not so different than other countries; it made me realize that I need to conduct research to learn more about this place.