Seoul January 9 & 10

On Monday, Matt had an afternoon visit with a HOLT counselor (Esther) in the afternoon.

On Tuesday, we did  USO tour of the DMZ & JSA (Joint Security Area).  First stop was the refurbished (last stop in South Korea) Dorasan train station.  The tracks continue into North Korea but no trains travel there anymore.  They used to have some freight trains travel into North Korea but that stopped in 2008.

Next stop was the observatory where you can see North Korea beyond the demarcation line (DMZ). North Korea plays propaganda on their speakers and South Korea plays music (as can be heard on the video below).

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South Korea found 4 tunnels that were dug by the North Koreans.  We were able to enter one of them (no pictures allowed) and go up to the North Korean border underground where the tunnel has been plugged up.  There are supposedly many more tunnels that they have not found.  

Lastly we went to the JSA and Freedom House where we crossed over into North Korea in one of the blue houses.  The demarcation line is the speaker phones on the conference table desk in the picture below.

In the distance, you can see a North Korean soldier standing on the steps off to the left.  There are usually two soldiers standing guard there.  They call them “Bob and Steve”.

 

 

 

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