Greg and Karmen Go to the DMZ

Our friends, Cornel and Anneke showed us this cool tour company for foreigners that advertises through Facebook: WINK (When In Korea). They do all kinds of different trips in Korea. Last Sunday, we went on a tour of the DMZ (the strip of land separating North and South Korea).

I didn't know much about Korean history before this, but I feel like this tour gave us a snapshot of more recent events. It's quite sad. So much war, death and devastation on both sides of the border. Often North Korea is characterized as "evil" by the media in the West. The reality (which would be obvious if I had thought about it enough) is that the majority of North Koreans are innocent and subjugated to intense oppression and suffering. Did you know that there are many Korean families who have been split up by the separation of North and South Korea? Family members in the South often have no contact with their loved ones in the North and no way of knowing if they are safe, healthy or even alive.

The Freedom Bridge where POW soldiers returned from the North after the war. 

Prayers for peace and messages to loved ones in the North.

The third tunnel. South Korea has discovered four different tunnels, dug
by North Korea, under the DMZ.

The Dora Observatory. Unfortunately, the fog was so thick we didn't
observe much of anything.

A map showing us what we might have seen on a clear day.

The last subway station before North Korea. The hope is that one day
the subway will connect Seoul with Pyongyang (the capital of North Korea).

We stopped in a town for lunch that is famous for this canyon. It was beautiful.

The second tunnel. Wet. Dark. Slimy green walls. Low ceilings.
Signs warning of land mines...

 If you look closely you can see a dark fence separating South Korea from the DMZ.
The land to the right of the picture is part of the DMZ. 

Our last stop was a monument to the Battle of White Horse.
This was a major battle during the Korean War. The Communists fought South Korea for possession of a hill.
In ten days, the hill changed hands fourteen times. Thousands of people died. This piece of art was made from the copper casings of bullets that were found at the site.