Panmunjeom - DMZ
Seoul
At a glance
Click here for more info. Or call 031-953-4744 in Korea.
Most people associate South Korea with North Korea of course. And the DMZ which is the demilitarized zone represents the reality of Korea as the only divided country remaining in the world.
The border between South and North Korea is truly a historic place where you can feel the scars of war, and it is also becoming known as a valuable repository of a natural ecosystem, as the area has not seen human activity for 50 years.
The observatory from which you can see North Korea, and Panmunjeom in the Joint Security Area (JSA), where the soldiers of both sides stand off, are not to be missed. Don't miss your chance to see the DMZ, as it is a Korea only experience!
The Panmunjeom or joint security area (JSA) is a round shaped special area of 800m in diameter based on the MDL, where both the UN forces and the North Korean forces take care of security jointly.
Visits to JSA is conducted for times a day, except for Mondays. Of all the tours to the border make sure that a visit to Panmunjeom is included as it is here where you can really feel the tension and it is the only place where South and North Korean soldiers can meet without any barriers or barbed-wire fences.
Almost all hotels, hostels and guesthouses now have brochures with information about tours to the border. If you don't see one all you have to do is ask the staff. There are half day and all day tours.
