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Visiting the DMZ
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deetah



Joined: 14 Nov 2004

PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 7:46 pm    Post subject: Visiting the DMZ Reply with quote

I want to visit the DMZ in the next month with my friends. I've heard we need to register. Who do we register with? Travel agent? Special DMZ tour group?
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RACETRAITOR



Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea

PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 7:55 pm    Post subject: Re: Visiting the DMZ Reply with quote

http://www.uso.org/korea/
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Bibbitybop



Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 8:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

RACETRAITOR is right. Go with the USO, unless you are a Korean citizen. There are a few nationalities the USO won't take, and if you are a Korean citizen, you can't go with them (unless you hold a U.S. greencard). The USO takes you places other tours don't/can't go.

There are other tour companies that go, too, but the USO is the best. Register ASAP as spots fill up quick.

One more note: You will have to pay in US dollars (or use a credit card, but it is still USD).
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R-Seoul



Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Location: your place

PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bibbitybop wrote:
RACETRAITOR is right. Go with the USO, unless you are a Korean citizen. There are a few nationalities the USO won't take, and if you are a Korean citizen, you can't go with them (unless you hold a U.S. greencard). The USO takes you places other tours don't/can't go.

There are other tour companies that go, too, but the USO is the best. Register ASAP as spots fill up quick.

One more note: You will have to pay in US dollars (or use a credit card, but it is still USD).


They may have changed that policy; I paid in Won when I went in September.
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Bibbitybop



Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 10:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It was USD in October, so the best thing to do is call the office directly.

They were strange when I called them about paying. The website said I could pay with a credit card. When I asked to pay with a credit card, they said I couldn't. I told them that is not what the website showed, so they let me pay with a credit card. Maybe the USO people have been in Korea too long and they are starting to make up arbitrary rules whenever they want.
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Zoobot



Joined: 25 Aug 2006
Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 5:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How do you get to Camp Kim?
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Novernae



Joined: 02 Mar 2005

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 1:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bibbitybop wrote:
It was USD in October, so the best thing to do is call the office directly.

They were strange when I called them about paying. The website said I could pay with a credit card. When I asked to pay with a credit card, they said I couldn't. I told them that is not what the website showed, so they let me pay with a credit card. Maybe the USO people have been in Korea too long and they are starting to make up arbitrary rules whenever they want.


I went in October and paid in Won. (but yes, the best thing to do is just call). They weren't very organised though. Said it started at 10 on the phone, arrived at 9:45, told it didn't start until 11, and that we couldn't pay until after 10:30. When we came back at 10:30 everybody else had already paid and was on the bus. Rolling Eyes

The first several hours of the tour were quite boring, but the last few were great.

You can apparently go if you are Korean, but you have to apply months in advance and prove that you have no family in North Korea.
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SPINOZA



Joined: 10 Jun 2005
Location: $eoul

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 1:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Zoobot wrote:
How do you get to Camp Kim?


can't remember which exit, but go to Samgakji station on line 4 and 6 and head in the direction of Namsan Tower, clearly visible. It's on your left after a good 10 min walk.

I went yesterday and the only time USO have a DMZ trip scheduled in the period 16th til Xmas (when my mother will be here) is the 21st, a Thursday, which sucks.

Does this mean the other tour operators will be the same I wonder? Mind you, it's almost an irrelevance because USO is the best. I've been to the DMZ with USO before - what exactly is it one sees with USO unavailable elsewhere?
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Novernae



Joined: 02 Mar 2005

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 2:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

SPINOZA wrote:
what exactly is it one sees with USO unavailable elsewhere?


Camp Bonifas, so basically the interesting part.
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hogwonguy1979



Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Location: the racoon den

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Zoobot wrote:
How do you get to Camp Kim?


also you can go via line 1. get off at Namyoung station (1 stop south of Seoul Station) go out the exit (the only one) turn right, turn right again at the main intersection walk down past the Kaya Hotel and you cant miss it

think the exit is #10 from Samgakji station. If you are coming on line 4 you have to walk down to where line 6 comes in and back up to get to it.

USO also has US magazines at a better price than that other place in itaewon and its canteen has the best and cheapest american lunches in korea
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Njord



Joined: 12 Jan 2006
Location: South Korea

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I went on the USO tour a month ago and it was fantastic. Really a "can't miss" in Korea. The poorly organized website says you need to pay in advance, but when I emailed them they said I could pay on the day of the tour. They take Korean Won and USD, but the exchange rate they give is terrible. ($1 = 1000 Won) You could save a few dollars if you exchanged elsewhere. What is the USO anyway, is it part of the US military? They have lots of military newspapers in their office. The person I emailed also sent me a map to Camp Kim. There's a sign inside the gate with warnings about upcoming demonstrations in Seoul. I found that amusing. Anyway, the tour is great. You get a Korean guide for most of the trip - mine said "you'd better..." in every third sentence - and an American soldier-tour guide in Camp Bonifas. Both were very good. Depending on various things, the tour can take much longer than advertised. We came back about 3 hours late. Also, the lunch is terrible and overpriced, I would suggest packing something. (You have the option of Bibimbap or Bulgogi from a large cafeteria and both were cold and and of rather poor quality.)
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dogshed



Joined: 28 Apr 2006

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Njord wrote:
I went on the USO tour a month ago and it was fantastic. Really a "can't miss" in Korea. The poorly organized website says you need to pay in advance, but when I emailed them they said I could pay on the day of the tour. They take Korean Won and USD, but the exchange rate they give is terrible. ($1 = 1000 Won) You could save a few dollars if you exchanged elsewhere. What is the USO anyway, is it part of the US military?


They are a voluntary organization. The more money you give them the better.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USO
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Novernae



Joined: 02 Mar 2005

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Njord wrote:
I went on the USO tour a month ago and it was fantastic. Really a "can't miss" in Korea. The poorly organized website says you need to pay in advance, but when I emailed them they said I could pay on the day of the tour. They take Korean Won and USD, but the exchange rate they give is terrible. ($1 = 1000 Won) You could save a few dollars if you exchanged elsewhere. What is the USO anyway, is it part of the US military? They have lots of military newspapers in their office. The person I emailed also sent me a map to Camp Kim. There's a sign inside the gate with warnings about upcoming demonstrations in Seoul. I found that amusing. Anyway, the tour is great. You get a Korean guide for most of the trip - mine said "you'd better..." in every third sentence - and an American soldier-tour guide in Camp Bonifas. Both were very good. Depending on various things, the tour can take much longer than advertised. We came back about 3 hours late. Also, the lunch is terrible and overpriced, I would suggest packing something. (You have the option of Bibimbap or Bulgogi from a large cafeteria and both were cold and and of rather poor quality.)


I agree on the food. I found the whole eating experience annoying. Our very nationalist tour guide told us about 8 times how much healthier all Korean food is than all American food and promptly brought us to a lunch of bibimbap (you might be thinking 'how can they mess up bibimbab' but they did) with sides of fried mandu and that weird Korean mayonnaise salad that was somehow purple. Rolling Eyes
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Njord



Joined: 12 Jan 2006
Location: South Korea

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 10:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Novernae wrote:
Our very nationalist tour guide told us about 8 times how much healthier all Korean food is than all American food and promptly brought us to a lunch of bibimbap (you might be thinking 'how can they mess up bibimbab' but they did) with sides of fried mandu and that weird Korean mayonnaise salad that was somehow purple. Rolling Eyes

Sounds like we had a different guide. Ours was one of the most pro-American Koreans I've encountered, repeatedly thanking the US and other countries for helping Korea. But the food was still terrible. The fried mandu looked like it might be OK, but it was also cold and gross. That was the worst bibimbap I've ever had. And it was 5,000 Won, I think.
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Buff



Joined: 07 Apr 2004

PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Our guide was singing the praises of Korean food as well.
"Samgyetang is good Koreans food. You maybe like the Korean chicken ginseng soooooooooupuh. Korean chicken ginseng sooooupuh is bery good for your hellsuh. Okayyyy?"

What do you get to see that other tours don't offer? Camp Bonifas, including the World's Most Dangerous Golf Course. Also there are some very self-important US soldier tour guides who spend a lot of time talking about how great they are:

Soldier overheard talking to a gaggle of girls who are blinded by the uniform: Yeah this job can be rough. Being responsible for the lives of 60 people for the day is no small thing. I'm actually responsible for your lives. See...I look pretty normal like I'm just being social with you ladies on the tour, but really I have to be hyper alert because we are surrounded on all three sides by North Korea...."

Meanwhile my dad, a former soldier, notices that his pistol isn't secured and his hand is on his hip in front of his gun rather than behind it. Anyone could have easily grabbed his gun and used it. Hyper alert....

He was later spotted getting the phone numbers of these girls.

That said, it's still a good tour and you'll get to see real North Korean soldiers taking pictures of you.
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