The Third Tunnel and Final Thoughts

After lunch in Tae-son, we went to see the so-called Third Infiltration tunnel. Based on intelligence from North Korean defectors, South Korea discovered four tunnels that had been dug from North Korea under the DMZ into South Korea. The third tunnel, which was discovered in 1978, is ascessible by tourists, although photography is prohibited. The tunnel is more than 1000 feet deep, and is about 2 meteres x 2 meters. It's large enough for an equipped soldier to maneuver through comfortably. We moved quickly through it, wearing hard-hats to protect our heads--I was greatful for these the three times my head smacked against the ceiling. Even though the tunnel is dug through granite, the North Koreans painted most of the rock black so that if the tunnel was discovered, they could claim it was an abandoned coal mine. The joke is that the third tunnel brings in such tourist income that they should have told the South Koreans it was a gold mine.

We went to one more observation point after that, but it was too hazy to see anything. So I'll try to sum up, although I'm still processing everything I saw. The DMZ is unlike anything that exists anywhere in the world. I can't think of a place where mortal enemies stand so close to each other with no fraternization whatsoever, every day, all day, for 50 years. The tension is unbelievable. Watching the guards bracing at Panmunjeom, and seeing the incredible suspicion with which they view the North Koreans (a suspicion that has been more than justified in the country's history), is one of the most sobering sights I have ever seen.

At first, I was reluctant to visit the DMZ. It's a great scar on the country--families have been divided for half a century, with parents unable to ever see children or siblings unable to communicate--and I felt awkward about making another country's tragedy my touring experience. I was reminded of how I felt watching all the tourists who came to New York after 9/11 visiting Ground Zero. But I think now I understand the sentiment a little better. Tragically, this is a key part of Korea's history, and a place that influences the world every day. Since I'm here, I wanted to bear witness to it. It was a terribly powerful experience.