North Korea? (April 23, 2026)
Yes … and no. One of the highlights of being in South Korea is to visit the DMZ, which is the acronym for the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. There’s so much rich history here. We enjoyed it.
Violet, Will and Bill Carmody give the salute as our guide suggested
Outside the DMZ in South Korea before heading into the tunnel
Back when I visited Berlin (see related post), I was shocked to discover “the wall” was more like a gauntlet. If you lived in East Berlin and wanted to leave, you risked your life in many different ways as documented in all the museums and on-the-ground tours. There are some harrowing stories like this from defectors from North Korea, but mostly it’s about the continued conflict despite more than 26,000 days of peace.
Fake boarder line so tourists can have one foot in North & South Korea
What I can NOT show you pictures of were three of the more interesting parts of the tour:
Live talk with a question and answer session from a North Korean defector hiding in South Korea with her son. No pictures because, despite her 7 years away, proof of her defection could lead to some drastic consequences including life imprisonment or death
The 3rd tunnel discovered that was dug by North Koreans and got so close to South Korea, that the South Koreans turned it into a tourist spot where you can walk all the way to the underground demarkation line of the DMZ and gaze onto North Korea.
The viewing tower high above ground where you can take a full 180 degree look at the DMZ and boarders between North and South Korea. You can witness farmers working in the fields and a “fake” city that is used to hide a N. Korean military compound.
By far, the most interesting part was the Q&A with the North Korean woman who shared her story of escape and what it’s like being a refugee in South Korea. To minimize her exposure, she turned down a jeongchak-geum benefit (settlement support) from South Korea and still managed to raise her son (from 12 when she defected to 19 today).
Learning what it’s like living in North Korea was fascinating. It was a real-time history lesson from both our tour guide and defector. How did she do it? She had a business importing and exporting through China and found a way to use these connections to leave. The stakes were high and she risked her life and her son’s all seeking a better life for them both. She doesn’t regret her decision and loves her new life.
Third Tunnel art out in front of the UN … a perfect place to “hatch”
Will preferred the “Atlas Shrugged” look
Statue representing Japanese kidnapping of 240+ Korean women
During the Japanese occupation of Korea (around World War II timeframe), more than 240 Korean women were kidnapped by the Japanese and made to work in factories at the young age of 13. If they tried to escape or fought their kidnapping, they were turned into “comfort girls” (a Japanese version of prostitution).
This was swept under the proverbial rug until one brave woman spoke out and several others came forward. To this day, the Japanese have not acknowledged or apologized for these actions. Which is why this statue was made in support of these women.
This cow represents the 1,001 cows brought to North Korea …
I also learned today that the founder of Hyundai was born in North Korea. He received one cow when he was allowed to leave as a child and started Hyundai. Once he was successful, he brought back a gift of 1,001 cows in return. Why 1,001? Turns out 1,000 is a “completion” number and 1,001 is the beginning of a new chapter. It was highly symbolic and the statue of the cow was made commemoratively and left at the DMZ boarder between North and South Korea.
An amusement park at the DMZ!?!
It was also interesting to learn about an amusement park constructed on the South Korean side of the DMZ. What’s that now? Yes, as many families were separated from their loved ones when the border was created, it can be a very emotional time when parents pay their respects to the ones they have been separated from. To honor this time, the kids are encouraged to go play at the amusement park while those in grief can do so by themselves and take as much time as they need to process their grief.
Monument constructed to honor the separation of family members
I also like that there’s a full Lego exhibit showing the DMZ inside the observatory where you can then look outside and see what the model is representing. It’s very accurate.
All in all, it was a wonderful day together and we enjoyed the combination of the history, the person interactions and most of all, our guide Jay. She made the trip extra special. A great guide can make or break a trip like this and she certainly made the trip special. (See details on this specific trip with Jay).
Jay telling us the story of this statue (#JapaneseEmbassy)
I’ll end here with my favorite line from her as we were getting off the bus after a long day together. “Please check to make sure you have all of your belongings when you exit the bus. If you leave anything behind, there’s a website where you can retrieve your lost items. Just go to eBay.com”
Funny. Knowledgable. Personable. Crisp English and even played the role of translator to the North Korean defector who shared her experience with us … thanks to Jay’s real-time translation. Great trip. Great day. Great memorable experience. Loved it!
