Today was an exciting day!
Our group went on the DMZ tour, which the DMZ is the demilitarized zone existing around the borders of North and South Korea. The tour consisted of stopping at multiple places during the tour. We traveled to the train station that used to be means of traveling from South to North Korea, the observation zone, and the 3rd tunnel that was dug by the North Korean military from North to South Korea.
First, we went to the train station which the train used to run from South Korea to North Korea. Our president took part in supporting the South Korean Leader make an agreement with the North Korean leader to have a train running from South to North Korea as means of getting to North Korea, but the agreement had ended. The station is now not in use but it remains opened for this tour to remind everyone of the connection that North and South Korea had and for the hopes that one day it will be up and running again.
Next, we went to the observation tower to view North Korea..or at least try to! As we walked up to the observation deck, our guide pointed to the ground and told us that the red line that we see is the furthest we can walk when taking pictures; I was surprised at first by this. As I put my camera away and walked past the red line, I was amazed by the horizon of North Korea..and hoping I got a good picture of it! I went to reach for my camera to take a picture of the numerous soldiers that were in the auditorium to our right, but it was as if I got a shock to my hand remembering that we were not allowed to take pictured. :( After that, we were able to use the binoculars to view the line between North and South Korea, including the bases and soldiers within the DMZ. Finally, after we were through with viewing, we walked over to the R.O.K. sign as our tour guide told us about the reason why the mascot is a tiger.
Lastly, we were able to go to the 3rd tunnel that North Korea infiltrated which was discovered in October of 1978. During our time walking through the mini museum about the tunnels, we learned more about when all four of the tunnels were discovered, along with learning more about the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. Soon after we were told to head to the restrooms if we needed because right after we were going to head down to the tunnel. Grabbing our helmets and strapping them on, we started to walk and sometimes jog down the steep decline down to the tunnel. At times I wanted to just roll down the decline because it seemed so long! ha just kidding. After finding ourselves at the end of the decline, we then had to walk through the actual tunnel that was dug out, ducking our heads at times! When we finally reached the furthest point we could walk to, we headed all the way back to where we had walked down. Many of our group members thought it would be a good idea to run back up the incline - and it only lasted for so long! Walking back up, many of us were short of breath and just wanted to see the end of the tunnel. But what an experience it was!
--If I lived in Seoul near the DMZ, I would feel safe. A lot of the people we talked to during our time at the DMZ said that there was not an immediate threat, nor were North Korea's threats that intense to feel fear towards. The city of Seoul goes on every day with their normal lives as if there is no war between these two places. As a person from another country and hearing all of the commotion of North Korea's threats and then actually living in Seoul, I never felt any tension while I was walking around; so that goes to show what other countries perceive without actually being in the country. I feel as though North Korea and South Korea have just two different groups of personalities, just like any two people do. Until two people can come to terms and agree with something, this is the same thing with these two countries. With this, I am not sure about how often the United States tries to take the role of negotiating people between world powers.
Later after we got back from the DMZ tour, our group headed to Namdemun, and outdoor market area. In this market and many other markets, the vendors may sell items that are copies of American styles and brands. While our group was out visiting Namdemun, it was not hard to come across many vendors that were openly selling copies of many top name brands such as "Louis Vuitton", "Chanel", and "Guess" brands. Of all the different copied brands there were, they were of purses, shoes, hair-ties, and clothes. Some of these copies are so interesting that you would just want to purchase one, or a couple, to take home with you! These copies are different from the originals by not looking necessarily looking like the exact brands; like instead of "The North Face", it would be "The North Pole", similar but not the same. I think that these products are marketed toward people who would like to have the original but can't necessarily afford it, just like in the United States. I'm not sure what kind of status these copies signify, but it's just people would would like the real thing that cannot afford it, or they don't want to ruin the expensive brand.
Next, we went to the observation tower to view North Korea..or at least try to! As we walked up to the observation deck, our guide pointed to the ground and told us that the red line that we see is the furthest we can walk when taking pictures; I was surprised at first by this. As I put my camera away and walked past the red line, I was amazed by the horizon of North Korea..and hoping I got a good picture of it! I went to reach for my camera to take a picture of the numerous soldiers that were in the auditorium to our right, but it was as if I got a shock to my hand remembering that we were not allowed to take pictured. :( After that, we were able to use the binoculars to view the line between North and South Korea, including the bases and soldiers within the DMZ. Finally, after we were through with viewing, we walked over to the R.O.K. sign as our tour guide told us about the reason why the mascot is a tiger.
Lastly, we were able to go to the 3rd tunnel that North Korea infiltrated which was discovered in October of 1978. During our time walking through the mini museum about the tunnels, we learned more about when all four of the tunnels were discovered, along with learning more about the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. Soon after we were told to head to the restrooms if we needed because right after we were going to head down to the tunnel. Grabbing our helmets and strapping them on, we started to walk and sometimes jog down the steep decline down to the tunnel. At times I wanted to just roll down the decline because it seemed so long! ha just kidding. After finding ourselves at the end of the decline, we then had to walk through the actual tunnel that was dug out, ducking our heads at times! When we finally reached the furthest point we could walk to, we headed all the way back to where we had walked down. Many of our group members thought it would be a good idea to run back up the incline - and it only lasted for so long! Walking back up, many of us were short of breath and just wanted to see the end of the tunnel. But what an experience it was!
--If I lived in Seoul near the DMZ, I would feel safe. A lot of the people we talked to during our time at the DMZ said that there was not an immediate threat, nor were North Korea's threats that intense to feel fear towards. The city of Seoul goes on every day with their normal lives as if there is no war between these two places. As a person from another country and hearing all of the commotion of North Korea's threats and then actually living in Seoul, I never felt any tension while I was walking around; so that goes to show what other countries perceive without actually being in the country. I feel as though North Korea and South Korea have just two different groups of personalities, just like any two people do. Until two people can come to terms and agree with something, this is the same thing with these two countries. With this, I am not sure about how often the United States tries to take the role of negotiating people between world powers.
Later after we got back from the DMZ tour, our group headed to Namdemun, and outdoor market area. In this market and many other markets, the vendors may sell items that are copies of American styles and brands. While our group was out visiting Namdemun, it was not hard to come across many vendors that were openly selling copies of many top name brands such as "Louis Vuitton", "Chanel", and "Guess" brands. Of all the different copied brands there were, they were of purses, shoes, hair-ties, and clothes. Some of these copies are so interesting that you would just want to purchase one, or a couple, to take home with you! These copies are different from the originals by not looking necessarily looking like the exact brands; like instead of "The North Face", it would be "The North Pole", similar but not the same. I think that these products are marketed toward people who would like to have the original but can't necessarily afford it, just like in the United States. I'm not sure what kind of status these copies signify, but it's just people would would like the real thing that cannot afford it, or they don't want to ruin the expensive brand.
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