Korean Job Discussion Forums

The evil penguin · Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2005 7:00 am Post subject: The DMZ

Been reading up on a lot of korean history lately and feel it's about time I had a visit to the DMZ. Just so i can say I've been there.... Don't really want to be part of some kooky gaggle tourist group thing (organised tours have never really been my scene) but i suppose the options are pretty limited...

Anyway, does anybody have any up-to-date information about DMZ tours? I'm currently based down in the SE part of the country (4.5 hr bus ride to soeul).

Yeah, this probably should be in the travel forum.... but that seems to be more for international trips...

Ekuboko · Joined: 22 Dec 2004 Location: ex-Gyeonggi

Info, including monthly tour schedule, here: www.uso.org/Korea
Highly recommended.

Be careful if you go in winter, as your camera will most likely freeze up.

If you live down south, you could get an overnight bus or train to make it to Yongsan for 7.30am. The tour gets back to Seoul mid-afternoon.

The evil penguin · Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2005 5:35 pm Post subject:

Thanks for that. That site seemed for us military members and families however.... Presumably non-us civilians can join the tour...

Thanks again. I'm looking into it..

Wrench · Joined: 07 Apr 2005

keithinkorea · Joined: 17 Mar 2004

The USO tour was pretty cool when I went. The DMZ is a very eerie place indeed. You need to book in advance, you also need to take your passport and dress neatly.

Hope you enjoy it but I wouldn't suggest this time of year, it'll probably be colder than a nun's chuff!

The Kung Fu Hustle · Joined: 30 Jan 2005 Location: Incheon

I think this is the best time of year to go. I always imagined the frosty final frontier of the Cold War to be kinda snowy, so summer just wouldn't look right.

It is COLD though, they said it was -17 degrees C the morning we went Shocked

MAKE SURE YOU GO TO PANMUNJEOM, if a tour doesn't offer this it's pretty sh-eye-t. That's the UN base where they film all the cool movie scenes with two soldiers facing each other off with a line in between separating the countries.

travel zen · Joined: 22 Feb 2005 Location: Good old Toronto, Canada

I agree with including Panmunjeon. It's prolly the best part of the tour.

Remember to bring your camera and a full charge for your batteries!

It was a good trip.

Hollywoodaction · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

I've been there on several occasions. It's actually a very peaceful area. Over the years, the US Army has toned down the propaganda. First time I went nearly 10 years ago, we could barely hold back our snickers when the soldier said North Korea was using a lot of propaganda in the DMZ, but the US wasn't. A Korean Canadian saw this as a cue to point out the huge signs one our side of the border pointed towards the north, which even made our escort crack a smile at the absurdity of the lines he had been coached to deliver.

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

I absolutely LOVED the DMZ. The big NK flag in the distance as the Autumn sun set over the mountains - so gorgeous. It was late October when I went and even that was cold in the evening. Oddly, it was colder than Seoul is today, Jan 1st.

I went on a bus tour that's near Samgakji subway stn. Can't recall the exact details sadly.

daninkorea · Joined: 06 Sep 2005 Location: Seoul

I tried to book the USO DMZ tour for when my family come here later in the month. I spoke to the lady at the USO and I told her that it would be three Brits and one Korean, and she told me that they didn't allow Korean's to go. Has anyone heard of this? Any idea of the reason? Do they think she is going to make a run for the North?