Today, we toured the Korean DMZ, otherwise known as the demilitarization zone. The DMZ runs across the Korean peninsula and acts as a buffer zone parallel to the border dividing the North and the South.

The DMZ was created through an armistice during the Korean War in 1957 and relocated troops back 2,000 meters from the Korean border. Today, while soldiers may patrol inside the DMZ, the military officers and the weapons permitted are restricted within the original armistice. We observed high security from the South Korean side while entering the DMZ and throughout our tours of the area. 

After learning more about the origins of the DMZ in the Korean War, we had the opportunity to explore one of the four known tunnels that were dug by North Korean troops. The four tunnels, known as the Tunnels of Aggression, were created by North Korea in an attempt to infiltrate various key sites in the South to ultimately capture the capital of Seoul. We toured the Third Tunnel of Aggression which was discovered in 1978 and raised concerns regarding the safety of South Korean citizens and the North Korean acceptance towards the armistice developed in the year prior. The tunnel was wet with natural spring waters and was extremely rocky. We wore hard hats while we traveled through the tunnel to prevent injury from the low hanging ceilings. After walking down a steep incline, we reached the bottom of the tunnel. 

We finished our tour of the DMZ by visiting the observatory which overlooked both the South and North Korean faces of the buffer zone. From our high vantage point, we were able to see the Korean border. We could even spot the North Korean flag far off into the distance using a set of binoculars. 

Our tour of this painfully historical site was representative of the tensions that remain present from the Korean War. Our time at the DMZ was filled with reflection as we considered the violence which contributed to this divided zone.