Delve between North and South Korea in the DMZ

North Korea. Two little words, but they hit quite heavily – no other country in the world is as mysterious, or so forbidden, and few from the West have ever thought about visiting, never mind actually set foot there. A hermit state for generations, North Korea (the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DRPK, to its friends) closed itself off even more fully at the outset of the Covid crisis, sealing its borders, and tightening up internal security to make escape even more difficult than it had previously been. Excitingly, it’s possible to take a peek into secretive North Korea from the outside, from the far safer, more sensible – and, quite importantly, more accessible – neighbouring nation of South Korea, by taking a tour to the tightly-controlled Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two countries.

The Korean DMZ, and the forbidden North

As the tour bus crawls out of Seoul and heads slowly north through the traffic, the seemingly endless urban jungle slowly diminishes in size before disappearing altogether. You’re now well on the way to DMZ Korea – a 4km-wide buffer zone that came into being at the end of the Korean War in 1953, it’s a place where the mists of the Cold War still linger on, and one that could still be ground zero for World War III. 

The Korea DMZ sketches a spiky, unbroken line across the peninsula from coast to coast, separating the two Koreas and their diametrically opposed ideologies. One a thriving, increasingly affluent democracy whose pop culture is making waves across the world, and the other a communist nation whose citizens could be sent to the gulags, or worse, for daring to do so much as listening to South Korean music, watching an American movie, or uttering a bad word about personality-cult leader Kim Il Sung. Again, all that stands in the middle of those two nations, which were once one, is 4km of land – and a whole bunch of mines and razor-wire fences.

Is it safe to visit?

In a word, yes, though obviously this comes with some disclaimers. Although the DMZ was once memorably described by Bill Clinton as “the scariest place on Earth”, an uneasy truce has prevailed since the end of the war – the longest military deadlock in history – and DMZ Korea is now something of a natural haven, filled with flora and fauna that’s been left to regenerate and breed in relative isolation. 

There have been occasional military spats over the years (sometimes deadly), but as a tourist you’ll be pretty safe, unless you decide to do something truly dumb. On tours, visitors are made very clear of the do’s and don’ts, and access is limited to keep visitors as safe and sound as possible. 

And because the DMZ is uninhabited by people, this area preserves valuable ecology and historical attractions – you’ll see trees, hear birdsong and smell fresh air.

Taking a tour

There are loads of tours available to travellers – not just for you to see North Korea (from the outside, of course), but also to dive deep into the history of the division of the two Koreas, and enjoy the many attractions (some surprisingly fun) that can be found in and around the DMZ. 

The most exciting sight here – the Joint Security Area, which contains rooms shared by both North and South Korea, and thus provides a chance to step across the border – has been inaccessible for a number of years, though it’s worth looking at tour agency offerings to see whether these have resumed; Klook has better pricing for tours to the DMZ than all of the other major online ticketing agencies, plus the highest ratings and volume of reviews, and the greatest number of options. One seriously important piece of advice, whicheve tour you take – bring your passport!

What can I see?

Where do we start? Some of the highlights of the DMZ are as follows, note that it’s quite possible to see all three listed here on a single day tour.

• Imjingak Park. This park commemorates those families separated by the division of North and South Korea; with over 400 exhibits about North Korea, signifying that hopes for unification will one day become a reality. During holidays, families originally from North Korea come here to carry out ancenstral rituals; you’ll also be able to walk part way along an old railway bridge for a better view – you can just about see North Korea, if you know where to look.
• Dorasan Peace Park. From Imjingak Park, cable cars soar over Camp Greaves to Dorasan Peace Park, which contains an observatory from which visitors are able to stare at the North through binoculars. There’s also a train station here, which all being well will one day become host to inter-Korea connections.
• The Third Tunnel of Aggression. In 1974, the South Korean army discovered a tunnel that had been burrowed under the DMZ in apparent preparation for a military attack from the North; tip-offs from North Korean defectors and some strategic drilling soon led to the discovery of another two. This “third tunnel” is the closest to Seoul, a city that would have been just a day’s march away if the North’s plan had succeeded.

Meet a North Korean defector, take a boat ride, or go strawberry-picking

Some tours offer the chance to meet a North Korean defector, to hear first-hand about their life north of the border, their (undoubtedly) daring escape, and their perspectives on the ongoing conflict – a fascinating insight into a country that very little information comes out of. This tour not only offers the chance to meet a defector, but to cross the Gamaksan Suspension Bridge as an optional extra – two very different thrilling activities in one. Another option includes a ride on a traditional Korean boat, while a yet another allows visitors to go DMZ strawberry picking in one of the world’s most dangerous places – either way, you’ll have quite a story for the folks back home.