Seoul (South Korea) - the DMZ (South Korea) - peeking into Kijong-dong & Kaesong (North Korea)
15 July 2025
On my final day in Seoul, I
decided to head north to the Korean Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), a place I’d long
been aware of and quietly fascinated by. Beyond that, I couldn’t resist the
chance to steal a glimpse into the enigmatic and extremely tightly controlled
and guarded world of North Korea, the ‘Hermit Kingdom’.
From Seoul, I joined a guided
tour into the DMZ, something that’s easy enough to arrange given the sheer
number of operators, but invaluable in terms of providing streamlined access to
such a highly restricted area. The highlight was the Dora Observation Tower,
perched just a stone’s throw from the border, where you can look directly into
the North Korean town of Kijong-dong. Nicknamed ‘Propaganda Village,’ it
presents an eerie façade: neatly painted buildings and towering flagpoles with
no real inhabitants, an empty stage set designed to project the illusion of
prosperity and vitality. Other key stops advertised on the trip were to be Imjingak
Park, a significant cultural site with several monuments and the Bridge of
Freedom, and then also, the Third Infiltration tunnel, one of four that
have been discovered – even though its thought that there could more than 20
still to be discovered.
The North Korean border is
surprisingly close to Seoul, its just under 1 hour drive time from its centre.
Considering the fairly early morning start (approx: 7am), most of us chose to
snooze most of the way until arriving at the DMZ.
The DMZ is often thought to be
completely uninhabited, and that’s the way that I had imagined it prior to this
day, but what I quickly came to learn is that its not a vacant stretch of land.
There are small numbers of South Koreans that live within its boundaries,
mainly in the village of Daeseong-dong, often referred to as ‘Freedom
Village’, which acts at the democratic, free, southern counterpart to Kijong-dong.
The strip of land between the two countries is approximately 3-5 kms wide and
runs for a distance of 250kms, roughly aligned to the 38th
parallel north, which was the original division set between the US and
Soviet Union after World War II. It is certainly one of the most heavily
fortified borders on earth, with guard posts, checkpoints and surveillance in
abundance. From the moment you arrive, the military presence is unmistakable,
and the tension between the two Koreas becomes almost tangible. The 1953
armistice may have halted open conflict, but it never formally ended the war, technically
the two nations remain at war to this day. That reality hangs heavily in the
air, and as you pass through the checkpoint into the DMZ, the sense of unease is
palpable. There have been times since 1953 where various incidents that pushed
the tensions between the two nations to boiling point, namely the 1968 Blue
House Raid, the 1983 Rangoon bombing and 1976 Korean Axe murder incident.
Of course, there have also been time where relations were quite amicable, and
indeed, the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics were both nations competed under
the common, ‘Korean unification flag’, with a unified team competing in woman’s
ice hockey. So, it was with this background and context that we entered Imjingak
Park, our first stop of the morning.
In all honesty, the first stop
was a bit dull, although I did get a little bit out of seeing Freedom Bridge
and the remnants of the Gyeongui Train Line.
Freedom Bridge was originally a
railroad bridge used during the Korean War, which gained its name after the armistice
agreement when over 12,000 South Korean prisoners of war were returned to South
Korea, crossing the bridge from the North, back into their homeland. Additionally,
the Gyeongui Train Line, once a vital link between Pyongyang and Seoul, was
partly destroyed during the war. Today, both the rail line and its bridge stand
as powerful symbols of division and hope. For many South Koreans, the longing
for reunification is unmistakable, and their emotions surface openly when they
speak of it.
For me, the real highlight of the
half-day tour was our stop at Dora Observatory. Perched just a short
distance from the South Korean side in the DMZ, provides a prime vantage point
to peer into this most isolated and secluded territory. As I said, this was a real highlight, mostly
for the fact that I anticipate that I may never get the opportunity to enter
North Korea, and if I did, as it stands, the risk would be significant.
The viewing platform is more than
just a standing ‘perch’. There’s a small auditorium, a café and large windows
where you’re able to clearly view the North Korean village of Kijong-dong. With
the binoculars that we were provided you could clearly see the empty streets,
buildings, extreme flagpost and terrain that separates both territories.
Unfortunately photography isn’t allowed within this area and hence what I’ve
produced here are online photos that show pretty much exactly what I was able
to see on that day.
Its oddly voyeuristic, peering
into a village if illusion, constructed as a ruse to project an image of something
idyllic and prosperous. Although strangely, if you look further into the
distance, between a large gap in the hills, you can see some bland, tall towers
of an actual North Korean city, Kaesong. This city, about 8kms from the actual
military demarcation line (aka – the border), is a real, functioning city. I
did wonder, whether on days like this, you have North Koreans looking up at the
observatory and just imagining what could possibly be on the other side. How
fickle and arbitrary life can be, that the course of your entire existence may
be shaped simply by the place where your journey begins.
Our final stop of the morning was
at the Third Aggression tunnel, also known as the Third Infiltration
tunnel, and one of the most audacious incursions by the North into the South.
Built by North Korea, some assume for purposes of an invasion, the tunnel runs
for approximately 1.6kms and runs about 400+ mtrs south of the military
demarcation line. Residing 70+ mtrs below ground, it remained undetected for
years before South Korea detected seismic activity in the region, which they
later understood to be explosions in the tunnel set off by North Korean
activity.
Having previously experienced
intense claustrophobia while navigating the Cu Chi tunnels near Ho Chi Minh
City, I approached this space with caution. That experience taught me a lot
about my triggers and how to manage them effectively to avoid a panic attack—something
I’ve only encountered once in my life.
From that moment, I learned two
key strategies that help me stay grounded:
- Maintain control over my movement – Being
stuck in a confined tunnel, especially in a long queue where I couldn’t
move freely, was overwhelming. Ensuring I could move at my own pace was
essential.
- Positioning matters – I found it much easier
to stay calm when I was either at the front or the back of the line. Both
positions gave me a sense of autonomy and an easy exit if needed.
From the entrance, through a main
tunnel and drives fairly sharply down the actual tunnel is about 170mtrs. Which
then allows you to walk the actual tunnel for about 60 odd mtrs. The going is
fairly slowly and the tunnel proper was about as small and as imposing as I had
imagined. Small, damp and eerie. I managed to control my mindset well enough,
which allowed me to get to the end of the tourist allowed section of the
tunnel. The South Koreans have now put in place three concrete barricades in
the tunnel, blocking off access from the north. As it stands, you are able to
walk to the third concrete barricade and sight the second barricade, with the
third standing beyond that. From what we were advised, the third barricade sits
between 170-230 mtrs from the actual North-South demarcation line. So I can now
say that I’ve been as close at 170mtrs from North Korea, not a bad stamp
to have on my mental passport.
Overall, I really enjoyed the
experience and for just $35 AUD, the tour was worth it. The Dora
Observatory offered fascinating insights into the region, and the Third
Tunnel of Aggression turned out to be far more compelling than I had
anticipated. If you're considering it, I'd definitely recommend it as a
worthwhile half-day trip. It’s affordable, informative and surprisingly
memorable.
Finishing up in Myeongdong, I decided
to make my way to the airport and start the return journey home. Walking slowly
to Seoul Central, I reflected on my time in this fascinating country. There are
many things that I liked about my time and I came away thinking that whilst
Japan is the tourist flavour of the month, there will be a time for South Korea
when its popularity will skyrocket. There’s a lot to like here and more than
enough to have me already thinking about how I can make my way back.
Making it to Incheon Airport several
hours early, I passed effortlessly through security and customs. The choice
from there was easy, I found myself a paid airport lounge and partook in the delights
of free flowing alcohol and the all-you-can eat buffet. For me, airport lounges
are the ‘travel tip’ that I always recommend. If you have 2+ hours at an airport
and don’t mind a drink, then paying $40-$50 for 2+ hours of free flowing alcohol
is fantastic.
Imagine your Korea – there you
have it, I just did. Thank you South Korea, you were unexpected but a more than
welcome addition to my travel memories.
