south korea demilitarized zone tour

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The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) tour is one of the most interesting tours in Korea.

De Militarized Zone: Most interesting tourist spot for all types of travellers and even for the locals in South Korea. Various organizations offer tours around DMZ area, But our DMZ Tours will offer you the best experience.

• Clean air-conditioned limousine vehicle
• No shopping tour
• Pick up service from your location
• 24 Hours reservation available
• Professional licensed guide ( English, Chinese, and Japanese )

Tour Guides Comments

My name is Amy Yang, a tour guide for DMZ Tour. DMZ tour is the most popular tour because it is the only chance for you to go very close to the border between two Koreas. Don’t you want to go inside the infiltration tunnel made by North Korea? Also, you can see North Korean territory through binoculars at the observatory. For those of you who have no idea about what DMZ is and why Korea is divided into North and South, I’ll fill up your brain with lots of information about Korea during the tour program. In addition, I’ll explain about not only Korean history but also some recent issues that are going on in two Koreas. If you make a reservation with our company, DMZ TOURS, I promise that I will make your trip unforgettable with well-organized tour! I can’t wait to take you to DMZ tour and see you enjoying new experience there. Thank you!

As everyone know the Korea is only divided country in the world, and while we are looking for the reunification, this would be the last chance you to visit the DMZ area.

Panmunjom-Joint Security Area (JSA)

On April 27, 2018, an inter-Korean summit meeting was held at ‘the Peace House’ of Panmunjom. It was a meeting which took place 11 years after the inter-Korean summit in 2007. All the earlier inter-Korean summits used to hold in Pyongyang, but the 2018 summit was held for the first time in the southern part of Panmunjom's House of Peace.

The JSA is located 48km northwest of Seoul, South Korea and 10km east of Gaesong, North Korea. After concluding a Truce Agreement in 1953, it was decided to be a Joint Security Area between UN and North Korea. It is a small space where the distance between the front, rear and right and left guards is only 800 meters.

In 1950, there were only a few straw houses in the village before 25th of June. The truce talks between 1951 and 1953 were held, and it was known all over the world. The truce talks, which began with a tent for the first time, were held for a year and nine months. After the truce talks were over, a wooden building was built in the vicinity to sign the truce agreement. Then, it moved in present place. After The Truce Agreement was signed here in July 1953, it became a "Joint Security Area" between the United Nations and North Korea. From August to September of the same year, prisoners were exchanged for one month.

Panmunjeom was mainly used as a place to manage the truce. The North-South Red Cross Preliminary Talks, held on 20th of September,1971, has been used not only as a venue for The Military Armistice Commission, but also as a place for contact and talks between North and South Korea and as a transit point between the two Koreas. Within the Joint Security Area, there are the main conference hall of the Military Armistice Commission and the conference room of the Neutral Nations Commission of Supervision. The Military Demarcation Line indicates Mike line that is passing through the middle of a conference table set up in the conference room of The Military Armistice Commission. The U.N. and North Korean flags on the table are also symbols of Military Demarcation Line.

In addition, there is a bridge called ‘Unreturned Bridge’ that symbolizes the division of people in the west of Panmunjom. This is the name of prisoners of war exchanged through the bridge since the 1953 Truce Agreement. However, the bridge was closed due to "The Axe Murder Incident". In August 1976, two U.S. military officers were killed with axe by North Korea soldiers in the Panmunjeom Joint Security Area. In this incident, a Military Demarcation Line was set up within the JSA.

Now The Joint Security Area is safer and more peaceful than you think. Our tour guides of ‘DMZ TOURS’ will explain in easy and detailed the history and process from June 5, 1950 when the Korean War started to April 2018 when the inter-Korean summit was held.

De Militarized Zone (DMZ)

After pain of the division, truce talk has been held between South Korea and North Korea on 1951, at the meeting we both decided to rest from the war and finally reached to the agreement of setting up the Military Demarcation Line between South and North. The Military Demarcation Line constructed to 2km away from North and South each, total of 4km between Korea.

Due to the strong restriction of DMZ area, there was no access of any civilian for 40years and managed by Military Community, since there was no access of human for 40years, the place became an ecological preservation area.

With our DMZ Tours , you will able to visit the Dora – Observatory ,where you can view most beautiful nature of Korea and you will actually experience of walking into 3rd Infiltration Tunnel(1.0mile long) to see how North Korea tried to sneaky into South Korea after the peace settlement. Also you will stop by Imjingak to find out the story of pain of division with our experienced guide.

This is the what our tour guide say!

Welcome to Korea! I’m Alice one of the English speaking tour guides at DMZ TOURS. I’m looking forward to meet you, and hope I can make your stay as comfortable and memorable as possible. Whether you would like to visit the DMZ and gaze eyes on mysterious North Korea, or indulge in Korea’s food, culutre, or beautiful landscape, I will do my best to provide the perfect balance between history and fun to suit you, or your group’s needs. As an avid traveller myself, having visited over 40 countries, I’m delighted to show you the best my country has to offer. So book a tour with me, by contacting DMZ TOURS!

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• English-speaking driver guide
• Private transport with hotel pick up & drop off at Seoul
• Car parking fee, toll fee
• Admission fees
• Food, drinks
• Gratuities (optional)
• (07:20-07:40) Hotel pick up *Pick up time depends on hotel location and date
• Imjingak Park
• Dorasan Observatory
• The 3rd Infiltration Tunnel
• 13:30 Drop off at the hotel

19 reviews for Private DMZ Tour

Pizzaandgrill – July 10, 2019

Half day tour with Justin Kim. One day Korea were very good and prompt with e-mails, and flexible about departure time (in advance) which was a big help. We visited the Imjin-gak Park, Dora observatory, 3rd Infiltration tunnel, Dorasan Train Station and Reunification village. The tour was very informative with a lot of insight into the recent history, and Justin was knowledgeable and made the tour interesting.

Steve H – June 28, 2019

Jay was an outstanding guide. We did Seoul,DMZ and other areas. Extremely knowledgeable, accommodating, personable and efficient. We wanted to bring something special back from our visit. He went out of his way to advise as well as negotiate for a unique Korean Dance mask. He would bring insights and a historical perspective to every site. There were small things as well e.g. Korean street candy maker. Finally, he was just a nice person. Would highly recommend One Day Korea and Jay.

252travellover – May 14, 2019

We took 3 tours with One Day Korea during our trip to South Korea. We traveled with our our elderly parents are 85 and 90 (need wheelchair for long distance walking) during our recent travel to Seoul. Although not every activity/stop was wheelchair accessible, our tour guides helped us navigate the day so that we got the best out of it for all of us! Our first tour was to DMZ with Justin. He was so outstanding that when we got home, we immediately booked another tour for the following day. Our next tour was to Suwon Hwaseoung Fortress and Korea Folk Village with Eric. Eric not only was knowledgeable about the history but also helped us navigate the day so that we got the most out of our tour without any wasted time. The next day, we had Eric as our tour guide. Again, another fanastic guide! He was knowledgeable about not only Our third tour was with Justin again for Seoul City Full Day Private Tour. Justin was so caring in taking extra care of our father and helping us navigate his wheelchair — he made our tour so enjoyable! He also gave us extra stop at Gwangjang Market! He told us where to stand to get the best views for the changing of the guards at the Palace and showed us streets in Bukchon village which we never would have found without him! Food also was delicious! AMAZING — HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

singaporefretravel – December 5, 2018

We had a private half day tour to DMZ. Justin our tour guide had been very helpful and informative. We were picked up from our hotel punctually, had the tour and dropped off at Incheon Airport on time. Perfect for a half day tour before catch our flight

Pranav – December 1, 2018

I would highly recommend this tour company if you’re looking for a private tour.

Our tour guide, Justin, was very polite, punctual, informative and fulfilled all our requests. Further, he brought his personal camera along and helped take our pictures and then transferred them via Google drive to me later the same evening. He was very enthusiastic and it genuinely showed that he loved doing what he does.

A helpful tip: even though this is a private tour, most of the DMZ is covered by a shuttle bus. Its mandatory. Private vehicles are not allowed inside. All private tour guests need to get on a shuttle bus (that runs every 20 minutes) to see all the spots on the DMZ. So even though you think you’ve got a private tour and you can pick and choose your itinerary, you can’t because you’re stuck to your shuttle bus. This has no bearing on the review as this is mandated by the government and the private tour organisers can’t do anything about it.

That being said, it was a wonderful half day spent learning about South Korean history all thanks to Justin!

Dufus1970 – October 15, 2018

We loved our DMZ tour with Jay. The itinerary was superb and Jay is an incredibly knowledgeable guide and as well very attentive to make sure we had a great experience

TrekandTrot – October 1, 2018

My mom and I took the half day DMZ tour with Justin. He was an awesome guide and took many great photos for us. It was a very interesting tour. He was also very nice and accommodating in picking and dropping us off. Thanks, Justin!

James w – August 20, 2018

I had a private DMZ tour with Jay. It was an interesting trip and Jay was a great tour guide. I would highly recommend.

Ron S – April 23, 2018

Overall our tour and guide were excellent. Our guide Jay was on time for our cruise port pick up and drove us to the DMZ. Along the way he provided details of the sights we were passing and what we could expect once at the DMZ. Once at the DMZ he provided plenty of details and history of the area and conflict itself. He kept us on time and allowed us to explore at our leisure. I would definitely recommend One Day Korea tours. Jay is just a young guy starting out but you could tell he had studied and takes the job serious. Also his English was fine too. As a guide & driver, he also did a fine job driving safely and again keeping us on time. Good luck Jay, thank you from Canada!

Scott S – November 7, 2017

Very nice tour to DMZ. Justin was a great guide – knowledgeable and very personable. Took great care of us and did everything he could to ensure we had a nice time.

pbpebot – October 25, 2017

My husband and I went for the half day DMZ tour and our guide was Smith. He arrived early to pick us up and was very nice. He was a pretty funny guy who let us know he learned English to watch modern family. Talking with him on the way to the DMZ was a pleasure and then the tour was very enlightening, along with commentary from Smith. It really shows you a different side of life and the way other cultures and people look at situations. Being from the US, I’ve never had to deal with this type of daily threat and I think it was a good experience to see it. I would highly recommend!

Dmarchon – September 21, 2017

We had Justin as a tour guide for the DMZ in September 2017. Justin was very good, he was enthusiastic and caring, and he clearly very much enjoys his job as a tour guide. His enthusiasm was infectious. His English is pretty good, though he could work to improve this a little bit. Overall it was a great experience.

Lucas Schulze – August 3, 2017

The tour was extremely informative. This is the best way to get around DMZ area because we didn’t realize the JSA tour require reservation at least 4 days before. Luckily Onedaykorea arranged this tour at the last minute. Kim, our tour guide was so knowledgeable and he speaks fluent in English! We learned so much about the history of Korea. We really look forward to visit Korea again and definitely we will join onedaykorea in my next trip!

QuinVu – January 2, 2017

We had a blast with One Day Tour Korea. Everything was well planned and executed perfectly. Ben our tour guide was very informative and friendly. :)) It was a great experience!

taquinn2016 – December 7, 2016

My friends and I had a 12 hour layover at Incheon Airport. One Day Korea met us at the airport and took us for the three hour tour of the De-Militarized Zone, the border between North and South Korea. It was fascinating to see this famous relic of the Cold War and our guide made sure we had a complete understanding of the history and importance of this place.

Turtle – October 1, 2016

We had a great time during the half day DMZ private tour, because our guides were great and their arrangement was perfect! We requested a Japanese speaking guide, and his Japanese was perfect. Also, for our surprise, an English speaking driver (his English was perfect, too) accompanied with us, too. We enjoyed talking with two highly talented gentlemen. They are so warmhearted for us and for kids like friends. Thank you One Day Korea. Absolutely highly recommended!!

Ladybug322 – April 14, 2016

While researching my trip to korea for the first time One Day Korea was great at answering all my questions. I scheduled two tours – DMZ & Damyang Bamboo Forest. Each tour was a great new experience, that we will never forget. We learned a lot about the Korean culture through each activity and from our tour guide Terry who was friendly and very knowledgeable. We absolutely recommend this company. A+

Deangelis – January 20, 2016

A must of you are interested in Korean war history. Highly recommended!

kitdeluca – July 17, 2015

We did the Seroksan and DMZ tour with One Day Korea. Did lots of research on tour companies in Seoul and didn’t regret my decision at all. Pick up from your hotel, private tours catered to you, transport was excellent (loved the DVD player) and the communication in arranging the tours was brilliant, (thanks Terry) Best thing about the whole thing was Duke. It was like hanging out in these amazing places with a new friend rather than a tour guide. He even arranged a last minute detour after the DMZ to fill some time before we flew back rather than let us stay at the airport for 5 hours! They don’t get many English tourists so a some of our conversation was a bit lost in translation but Duke was very patient and keen to muddle through. Also loved the pictures he sent through afterwards.

Flying the flag for One Day Korea massively! Totally worth any extra you pay for the personal service over the other group tours available. Very highly recommended.

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• DMZ is closed on Monday and Korean national holiday.
• You MUST bring your passport on the tour departure date.
• The foreigner registration card is NOT acceptable.
• Monorail might not be available some days for 3rd tunnel. (Malfunction, fully booked, etc.)
• We kindly recommend you that you wear comfortable shoes (preferably sneakers) for this tour.
• Infants under age 3 are free of charge without a seat.
• All payment will not be refunded for any cancellation or adjustment related to personal reasons, circumstance of tourist attractions, traffic or weather past 24 hours before the tour start.
• The tour can be automatically canceled and you get no refund if you are late for more than 1 hour without any notice.
• The itinerary can be adjusted and the facilities and attractions can be suspended depending on the circumstances of the tourist attractions, such as weather or traffic without any prior notice.
• If you arrive late for the designated tour time or appear at the wrong place, the lost time is not supplemented to the total tour time.
• Please note that traffic jams may occur during weekends, holidays, or travel high seasons. In these cases, there will be no additional charge.
• The itinerary can be changed upon driver/guide agreement to the guest’s proposal, in this case, additional car parking fees will be added.
• If you request to extend your tour time (Not related to traffic), we will charge an additional cost.
• OnedayKorea will not be responsible for any injury, illness, damage, loss accident, or expense including their consequential loss or economic loss which are caused by whatever sports or activities.

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OnedayKorea

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South Korea Demilitarized Zone Tour

• Air-conditioned vehicle
• Admission fees
• Professional tour guide
• Transportation
• Entry/Admission - Imjingak Pyeonghoa-Nuri Park
• Entry/Admission - DMZ
• Entry/Admission - The Third Tunnel
• Entry/Admission - Dora Observatory
• Hotel pickup & drop-off
• Option 1 Myeong-dong Station, Seoul, South Korea Myeong-dong Station(subway outside) Exit 10 at 07:30 am ***After April 27th*** at 07:10 am
• Option 2 KOREANA HOTEL, 135 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea Office building of Koreana Hotel(135 Sejong-daero, Taepyeongno 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul) locates between City Hall Station and Gwanghwamun Station at 07:45 am ***After April 27th*** at 07:25 am
• Option 3 Hongik Univ. Station, Seoul, South Korea Hongik Univ. Station(subway outside) Exit 2 at 08:00 am ***After April 27th*** at 07:40 am
• Option 1 KOREANA HOTEL, 135 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea Office building of Koreana Hotel(135 Sejong-daero, Taepyeongno 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul) locates between City Hall Station and Gwanghwamun Station
• Option 2 Myeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea Drop off in Meong-dong
• Option 3 Hongik Univ. Station, Seoul, South Korea Drop off near Hongik Univ. Station
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Infants must sit on laps
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Not recommended for travelers with back problems
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
• Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
• A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
• Since the DMZ is operated by the military, the trip may be canceled without prior notice.
• All schedules are subject to change due to road conditions(roadworks, traffics etc.), weather conditions (storms, hurricanes, dense fog, heavy snow, etc.) and the government order, strike, and any other unforeseen reasons for the military reason such as military training, visiting higher level of military personnel etc. In this case, we reserve the right to cancel and/or alter any/all part of the itinerary which may result from circumstances beyond our control. We will do our utmost to improve that situation. However, we can NOT grant refunds. * Alternative itinerary Imjingak park > Art Space BEAT 131 > Odusan Unification Observatory > The war memorial of Korea > Dismissal at City Hall or Myeongdong.
• This tour does not stop at any shopping centers
• During the pandemic situation, visiting some places may be prohibited by government or military.
• Tour can be canceled or rescheduled if the set minimum not matched.
• This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
• This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travelers
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
• The Third Tunnel
• Dora Observatory

Similar experiences

• You’ll have 3 starting options See departure details
• 1 Imjingak Pyeonghoa-Nuri Park Stop: 60 minutes - Admission included See details
• 2 DMZ Stop: 30 minutes - Admission included See details
• 3 The Third Tunnel Stop: 40 minutes - Admission included See details
• 4 Dora Observatory Stop: 30 minutes - Admission included See details
• You'll end at See departure details

• LucyLiu886 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Interesting tour with an excellent guide! Orota is very kind, well preparated and with a lot of energy. Interesting tour! Thank you Orota and keep going :-) Lucia from Italy Read more Written April 28, 2024
• carlam886 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Highly recommend! Thank you Orota, best guide ever! Super interesting experience with a well prepared and so kind guide Orota, we appreciate a lot spending this day with you! Read more Written April 28, 2024
• 909wenzelv 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles DMZ Amazing Tour guide very Nice and knew a lot about the dmz zone. The Trip was about 12 Hours but with a lot of possibilities to eat Something and to relax. We visited all of the important places and had enough time to Explore them and take pictures!! All in all a very Great experience. Defentely recommended!! Read more Written April 28, 2024
• Trip35668777017 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Very good Trip Vrry informative trip our tour guide Orota was great. Prepare for some hikes but all worth a little sweat. Highly recommend ! Read more Written April 28, 2024
• Resort54461394992 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Well organised and interesting tour; definitely recommended Our tour guide Jung was just lovely. Humerous and very articulate. She spoke very good english, everything was well understandable and the sprinkles of humor she put in the anecdotes were engaging and entertaining. We had a really good time. To be so near a country you only see pictures and videos of in the media was really fascinating. The tour in itself was well organised, we can recommend it. Read more Written April 27, 2024
• A4453AJlizak 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazing experience and good general knowledge Loved the tour. Great and entertaining tour guide (Ms Jung) Amazing experience going into the tunnel and climbing back up 😅! Beautiful views from the gondola and observatory deck.. highly recommended! Read more Written April 26, 2024
• federicat930 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Nice visit with Jung Nice tour, friendly and prepared guide. A piece of Korean history that has to be known. I enjoyed also struggling in the tunnel! Read more Written April 26, 2024
• vale_de18 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles DMZ tour with lovely Jung Amazing tour to the DMZ! Went with a friend and had Jung as tour guide! She is very funny, lovely and very professional, we are glad we had her during our trip. She explained us about the DMZ and told us so many other curiosities. EVERYBODY WAS SUPER HAPPY! Read more Written April 26, 2024
• antoninalbarelli 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Interesting visit Visit very interesting, we spend a very nice moment. Jung was a wonderful guide and make the visit very pleasant. I strongly recommend it. Read more Written April 26, 2024
• Thomas_FAU 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Nice and entertaining Top, Jung was a very nice and funny Guide. She earn a raise! Also die company has a good Service. We had a small missunderstanding at the First Date, but could Change IT easily without an extra fee. Read more Written April 26, 2024
• SaemiH3 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Jung is the greatest EVERYBODY was happy with Jung. She was very nice and caring and accurate about relationship about and North and South Korea🥰🥰 Read more Written April 26, 2024
• celianb2024 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Awesome experience with jung Amazing experience with jung. She is an awesome very caring guide, she gives clear explanations of every place wen can visit. Read more Written April 26, 2024
• ignaciosS6275GM 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazing DMZ visit Amazing visit of DMZ with Jung, very entertaining and fun! Always stayed on time, not so crowded after all, and very good views of North Korea. Read more Written April 26, 2024
• 57renq 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Nice tour ! Jung was perfect. Super kind and professional, spend a really good time. A lot of informations were bringed by her. Really appreciated Read more Written April 26, 2024
• marianacI2881HD 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles DMZ tour with Jung Jung was a very clear and attentive guide. She was explained all the details of the tour during our ride on the bus and all the information about the stops we did along the way. It was a very interesting tour about Korean history and current division. Read more Written April 25, 2024

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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South Korea Demilitarized Zone Tour provided by I Love Seoul Tour

I visited the DMZ between North and South Korea. The peaceful tour was a stark contrast to the grim reality of the divided peninsula.

• Last month I went on the DMZ Peace Tour in Paju, South Korea.
• Despite being a "demilitarized zone," the DMZ is the most heavily fortified border in the world.
• The peaceful tour was a stark contrast to the grim reality of the divided peninsula.

On June 25, I visited the Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ, between North and South Korea. The day of my visit marked exactly 73 years since the Korean War began in 1950, and the spot I stood at wasn't far from the site where, a couple weeks later, a US soldier would shock the world by darting across the border and defecting into North Korea.

Spanning the 160-mile width of the Korean peninsula, the DMZ is one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world. It was established in 1953 as part of the Korean Armistice Agreement to end the Korean War.

My trip to South Korea was a graduation trip with my five close friends from college. From the start, we knew we wanted to visit Lotte World — a popular theme park — and the BTS bus stop . At one point during our research for the 18-day trip, one of my friends suggested booking a day tour to the DMZ.

In an effort to avoid spending two weeks only focused on shopping and eating, we booked the DMZ Peace Tour on Klook for about $53 USD.

We boarded the tour bus heading for Paju, a city 23 miles northwest of Seoul.

A series of bad decisions the night before — endless shopping and staying up for late-night street snacks — left us feeling sleep-deprived in the morning. After less than three hours on the pillow, we rushed to board the tour bus at 8:30 in the morning.

On the bus, our tour guide Emily Lee began educating us on the history of the Korean War and the DMZ. She spoke in fluent English to our group of about 20 people — ages ranging from early 20s to late 50s — from various parts of the world. She would occasionally slip in a joke or two that would make all of us crack up, shaking off the morning drowsiness.

About 45 minutes later, as we were nearing Imjingak Park, Lee collected our passports — which were needed in order to buy tickets to the DMZ Peace Tour — while passing us a "Team Emily" name-tag to hang around our necks and help prevent us from getting lost.  

"Only 40 tour buses are allowed in the DMZ every day," Lee said, adding that since the tickets are issued by arrival, the time at which our DMZ tour starts can only be confirmed at the ticketing office.

Over six million Korean and foreign tourists visit Imjingak Park every year.

Built in 1972 as a consolation to separated families and with hopes of reunification, Imjingak Park is a popular tourist attraction for not only foreigners but also South Koreans.

"Many people come here to bike, or to have a picnic,"  Lee said. 

We had two hours before our designated time for the DMZ tour, so Lee guided us around the war memorials and statues. It was about half past nine in the morning and we followed her along in the sweltering sun.

The first monument we stopped at was one dedicated to a song named "30 Years Lost ." 

It was the theme song for "Finding Dispersed Families," a series of special live broadcasts depicting the reunions of war-dispersed families in 1983. Archives of the series were registered as part of the UNESCO "Memory of the World" collection in 2015.

"Would it be tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, 30 years of waiting with tears," a line of the song read. 

"The theme song became very popular in North Korea as well," Lee said.

We walked onto the Freedom Bridge next.

The Freedom Bridge was built in 1953 for the sole purpose of allowing 12,773 prisoners of the Korean War to cross over to South Korea. At the end of the bridge stood a barbed wire fence densely covered with prayer-ribbons.

Lee then directed our attention across us to another bridge — the Dokgae Bridge — which used to be a railway bridge that took trains northwards across the Imjin River to the end of North Korea.

"The bridge pier has a lot of bullet marks, which are traces of the Korean war," Lee explained, pointing towards the now-destroyed bridge. Tickets to the bridge pier cost an additional 2,000 Korean won, about $1.60.

Our tour group fell silent whenever Lee explained the gravity of each monument to us. It felt peaceful walking in Imjingak Park, but there was a solemn undertone that followed.

Security at the entrance to the DMZ felt similar to airport immigration customs.

A pair of South Korean soldiers boarded the bus while we had our passports ready in hand. The soldiers verified each and every one of our identities against a names list our tour guide had submitted beforehand.

Taking photos or videos while on the bus ride within the DMZ is also strictly prohibited, so we just enjoyed the scenery while Lee told us the history of our next stop — the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel.

The incomplete 3rd Infiltration Tunnel runs a mile long.

The 3rd Infiltration Tunnel was discovered in 1978 following the detection of an underground explosion. Though incomplete, it's the largest among the four infiltration tunnels that have been discovered in South Korea. 

Running a mile long, at 6.5-foot tall and wide, the tunnel is large enough for 30,000 fully-armed North Korean soldiers to pass through within an hour, Lee explained.

We weren't allowed to take any photos inside the tunnel, so we kept our phones in the lockers, popped on safety helmets, and embarked on our descent 240 feet below the ground.

Walking through the cold but well-lit tunnel felt like a weird fever dream. We were stuck in a single file, and for 10 minutes straight we were shuffling forward while crouching — the 6.5-foot height of the tunnel was actually 5 feet due to structural bars on the tunnel ceiling.

Our next stop was the Dora Observatory, where we had an unobstructed view of North Korea.

The Dora Observatory was as close as we could get to North Korea. Just a little over 10 miles north of where we stood was Kaesong, one of three major cities in the country, said Lee.

We headed up to the observation deck where there were several telescopes that visitors could use to observe the nearest part of North Korea in detail.

Having only heard and read about the elusive state, it felt bizarre peering through the telescope.

I saw buildings, vehicles, and roads littering the heavily guarded territory — but it was eerily quiet, not a single person in sight.

North Korea was just miles ahead of us.

On the second level of the observatory, there was an auditorium with floor-to-ceiling glass panels that gave a clear view of the scenic area.

We sat in silence for a while as we took it all in, still feeling surreal about the fact that North Korea was just a few miles ahead of us.

For the last leg of the tour, our bus passed through the Unification Village.

The Unification Village, located 2.7 miles south of the Military Demarcation Line, is home to around 160 families and a total of about 460 residents. It's the biggest of the three villages within the Civilian Control Line, Lee said.

Our bus drove through the quiet, peaceful village, before concluding the tour at the village's souvenir shop and restaurant, where local specialties like sundubu — soft tofu — and seasoned mountain herbs were sold.

As we headed back to Seoul, I felt a mixture of emotions well up inside me.

I had fun on the tour — and at some points it felt reasonably commercialized — yet there was a strong tinge of sorrow in each step of the journey. 

Every part of the tour was a silent but grim reminder of the heart-wrenching reality of the divided peninsula, the millions of people who were — and still are — deeply hurt by the Korean War. 

"After the Korean War, millions were separated from their families. Randomly, they became North and South Korea," said Lee, "it wasn't their choice, but they haven't met for 70 years."

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South Korea says some DMZ tours to resume after US soldier crossing

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Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Ed Davies and Gerry Doyle

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Seoul-based reporter covering the Koreas with a focus on South Korean politics, North Korea's missile tests and the K-pop industry. Before joining Reuters, he worked at The Korea Herald.

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South Korea & Japan

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• Dates May 6 - 22, 2025
• Price From $ 8,995
• Deposit $ 600
• Trip Type History , Land , Nature
• Operator AHI Travel

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Experience the allure of South Korea and Japan on a first-class, 14-night adventure that features the highlights of Seoul, Busan, Kyoto and Tokyo!

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