My main motivation for travel to Korea was also my interest in seeing what is probably the most impenetrable border on Earth – the border and demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas. Today was the day to witness exactly that border.

I decided to go for the big tour that also included the Joint Security Area (JSA), including the option to cross demarcation line to the North for a few minutes.

The tour started at the Third Infiltration Tunnel, a tunnel from North into South. Today the tunnel is a tourist attraction on the South side including a monorail going down the shaft to the actual tunnel. From the tunnel we were continued to the Dora Observatory for a view to North Korea.

Our next stop was at Dorasan Station, the northernmost station in South Korea on the Seoul – Pyeongyang railway line. Today trains stop here – but do not go much further.

We had lunch outside the DMZ; from lunch we headed for the Freedom Bridge connecting the DMZ with South Korea – Dorasan station is just on the other side of the bridge.

We changed buses and were transferred into the DMZ again, this time heading for the US military camp Camp Bonifas. Here an introduction was given on the history and purpose of the Joint Security Area (JSA) – or Panmunjeom. Afterwards we changed buses again and headed of for Panmunjeom.

During the tour we also had the opportunity to get in the conference room right on the demarcation line, there was also the opportunity to move on the north side of the line, thus to – technically – stand on North Korean soil.

From the JSA we continued with the normal loop around the DMZ, stopping at various other sights (e.g. a viewpoint towards Kijong with its 160m flag pole or the bridge of no return). Eventually the tour did come to an end – and we got back to Seoul.