demilitarized zone in Korea

Sunday 2.15 pm and back in Soeul after visiting the border between North and South Korea.Left here at 7.30 am with about 12 other conference participants and hangers-on! and drove about 45 Kilometres north to the whole area just south of the DMZ - a 4 kilometre wide strip that extends rights across Korea at the 38th parallel. This has been an amazing and almost surreal experience.There is barbed wire and military check points and signs about minefields all across this area.Once we were inside the military zone a soldier came on the bus and checked everyones passports and from there on we were unable to take photos except in designated areas.
The two most amazing things that we did were firstly travelling down into the third tunnel via a little railway.. at 70 metres deep under the ground we walked nearly a kilometre to the point where there is a solid concrete wall to prevent Helen and I escaping into North Korea.! (North Korea has blasted 4 known tunnels under the DMZ to infiltrate troops into the south, and they suspect there are many more. It was like being in a Le Carre novel). Secondly we stood at the Dora observation point and looked over the border to North Korea , through the haze. You could see the river which was on the other side of the border and some UN observation posts. Unfortunately it was to rainy and hazy to see right up to Panmunjeom. Both these places we were forbidden take photos of the really interesting bits. So you will have to make do with, a pic of the barbed wire and sentry boxes just on side of motorway out of Seoul, Lyndsay by the Freedom Bridge with all the prayers, us in our hard hats by the little train, Helen with a Korean soldier at Dora observation post and the very flash new railway station that the South have built in readiness for unification and to link to the trans Mongolian and trans Siberian railways to acess China Russia and Europe. Two trains a day run from here to Soeul and back with few customers.The first train across the border was supposed to run 2 weeks ago but North pulled plug on that -so will be watching the news with interest to see when that happens. Picture here of George W with Sth president in 2002. Had Korean BBQ lunch on the way back-different from the one the other night -we have both decided kimchi will not be on the menu at Parituhu!! Pretty sharp and somewhat unpleasant taste. Altogether a pretty amazing tourist adventure. Quite a contrast from the Coex Mall which is rampant with consumerism.
Helens conference opens this evening and she gives her paper tomorrow. Off fo a nap and then back to the opening ceremony at 5pm.