What it is and why it exists.
We often hear about this area of Korea through the news or because some of our favorite idols are, during military service, stationed for a period in that area. But what exactly is it and why does it exist?
The DMZ is a "buffer" zone placed between the two Koreas, a border barrier similar, but not too similar, to the barriers that we find between the various European countries.
Characteristics.
Its area is about 4km wide and 250km long and was created in 1953 after an agreement between North Korea, China and UN command. Despite the term "demilitarized" makes it look like an area without weapons or ordnance is actually the most heavily militarized area in the world.
A bit of history.
DMZ was born near the 38 parallel north which was originally considered the border between the United States (present in the territories of South Korea) and the Soviet Union (stationed in the territories of North Korea) which became the de facto border between the two Koreans in 1948 when they became independent from the states that previously occupied them.
In 1953 when the armistice was signed following the Cold War, the two states agreed to move away from the 2km border, the current width of the DMZ, and to follow the strict rules contained in it. They are in fact indicated by thread and by sign the possible actions in that area and in the neighboring area, the maximum number of soldiers that can be used for the defense of borders, the type of weapons that must be used and much more.
To this day, the two states still live in deep hostility and deploy troops from both sides to patrol the border area. It is absolutely forbidden for both factions to cross their borders, this would cause a diplomatic incident, for this the patrols are active 24h and a minefield was present on both sides until 2018.
The two villages inside the DMZ.
Within the DMZ there are only two authorized settlements "Tae Sung Dong" and the "Peace Village".
Tae Sung Dong is located in the protected area of South Korea and has about 210 inhabitants who have permission to reside there since their ancestors were originally the owners of that land before the formation of the two Koreas. Citizens are allowed to remain in their homes for 208 days a year so that they can maintain legal residence there, are exempt according to what is reported in the armistice by the payment of taxes
and the compulsory military leverage. In fact this village is located about 1.5 km from the
"Bridge of the No Return" (the bridge on which the exchanges/releases of the prisoners took place, so called because once crossed the line of demarcation on it there was no longer the faculty to go back) and about ten from the "Village of Peace".
The Village of Peace is the first town we find from the DMZ entering North Korea. According to the North Korean registry, it has about 200 inhabitants, but it seems that the American and South Korean secret services have actually discovered it is uninhabited and used by North Korea only for propaganda. Following some checks, carried out with telescopic lenses, it would seem that the buildings that make up the village are just empty "concrete cubes", without windows and windows, Street lights and apartment lights would only light up at predetermined hourly intervals and simultaneously in all rooms, and that in fact no one has ever been seen on your streets except the street sweepers who keep them clean.
Since 1980 in both villages there is a flagpole that carries the respective flags of the two states. The first to be installed was that of South Korea about 98.4 meters high, then was installed the North Korean 160 meters high considered the highest in the world until 2010.
Did you enjoy this topic? Can you tell us in which drama you can see this area and know which of our idols served in this dangerous area?
See you soon for a further discussion on the subject in which we will talk about the various attempts of incursion by the two states and analyze the armistice together to understand the functioning of the DMZ and what is or is not allowed inside.
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