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The tense relations between North Korea and South Korea are hard to ignore when visiting South Korea. And that’s why so many travellers can’t resist doing a Korean DMZ tour when they visit the capital. Tell someone you’re going to South Korea and they’re bound to ask if you’re going to see the Korean Demilitarized Zone, always just referred to as the DMZ.
You don’t have to look far for a tour of the Korean DMZ. After all, Seoul is already uncomfortably close to the North Korean border and the DMZ is probably the most common day trip from Seoul over alternatives like visiting Suwon. But it helps to know what exactly is involved with the experience to set your expectations or help you decide whether a DMZ tour is right for you. With that in mind, here’s how I found it.
Taking a DMZ tour from Seoul
A place like the Korean Demilitarised Zone isn’t somewhere you just wander into on a whim. In fact, you can’t visit it without taking a tour as the whole process is understandably rigorous.
You can visit some things near the DMZ on your own, to be fair. Many of the attractions around Imjingak, which I’ll explain later, can be done independently. But since you need a tour to access the DMZ anyway, why not just get one that starts in Seoul?
I took this tour, which has multiple pickup points depending on where in Seoul you’re staying.
During the full-day tour, you’ll cross into the DMZ, see sights related to the border, learn more about relations between South Korea and North Korea, and visit an unrelated, but beautiful bridge. I just went with the shared group option, but you can book it as a private tour too.
Being prepared for the trip is simple. Bring your passport, some water and snacks, and you’re set. You’ll be able to buy food during the day too. Now, bringing a camera is worth it in some spots, but because of security concerns, you’re not allowed to use it in some places.
What you see on the tour
With the DMZ tour, you’re going to spend a full day away from Seoul. Even though it’s a bit of a drive from the city, you’ll have time to visit several different places associated with and in the demilitarized zone. There’s even time for a stop up in the mountains to see more of Korea’s beautiful and underrated scenery.
It’s important to understand that this isn’t a lighthearted tour. There’s real and raw history to this place. It’s fascinating to see from an outsider’s perspective, but don’t let the occasional “theme park” elements fool you or make you forget.
Imjingak
Imjingak, a large complex outside the city of Paju, is the main hub for visiting the DMZ. It sits along the Civilian Control Line (CCL), a buffer around the DMZ to limit access to the area.
At Imjingak you’ll see many different DMZ-related landmarks and attractions. This is where you’ll spend time before and after visiting the DMZ. There’s a lot to see here including memorials, gardens, parks, and plenty of bridges, so it’s a good thing you get quite a lot of time here.
Things to see at Imjingak include:
- Mangbaedan Altar – a shrine for holding ancestral rites for families separated by the border.
- The Last Train Out – a destroyed locomotive from the Korean War.
- Freedom Bridge – the remains of the old rail bridge across the Imjin River, now lined with ribbons of hope.
- Pyeonghwa Land – an amusement park that feels very out of place.
One activity that’s hard to miss is the DMZ Gondola. It ferries people across the Imjin River to several spots in the CCL, including an observatory and Camp Greaves. Timing for this can be tricky on a tour and is an optional extra, so I didn’t go on it.
Finally, the largest attraction at Imjingak is the Imjingak Pyeonghwa Nuri Park. This sculpture park, sitting across rolling hills and enclosing a small lake, includes an oversized location pin and a hill of pinwheels among other creations. It’s a little distracting in all honesty, but some of its creations, such as the stag below, are impressive.
Driving through the DMZ
Tours of the DMZ are given a set time that they’re allowed to drive across the Unification Bridge and enter the DMZ. After crossing the bridge, all vehicles go through a passport and security check. From there, it’s onto the area’s quiet roads and some sightseeing.
Driving along, you might be surprised at how well-maintained everything is in the DMZ. Less surprising are the barbed wire fences by the road with clear “mine” signs hanging from them. It’s made abundantly clear not to wander from the tour group.
Aside from the below stops, the only time you’re outside the vehicle after crossing the river is at the small Unification Village. This community sits in the buffer zone along the DMZ and has shops selling local goods, including a popular soybean ice cream. If nothing more, stopping here highlights how the DMZ has impacted local communities.
The Third Tunnel
A tangible example of the tension between North and South Korea is the various “infiltration tunnels” along the border. South Korea accuses North Korea of digging these tunnels as a means of secret access to the Southern Demilitarized Zone. Of course, they’re less secret once they’re found.
The Third Tunnel is probably the most common one for tourists to visit, but some tours do go to the Second Tunnel instead. It was discovered in October 1978, thanks to a tip-off by a North Korean defector. To reach it, the South built a 300-metre-long interception tunnel over 3 months.
Before going into the tunnel, you can watch a video that provides an overview of the tunnel’s past. Information boards also relate the history and interesting details like the suggestion that traces of coal were rubbed on its walls to support the excuse that it was a mine shaft.
The Third Tunnel stretches 1.6 kilometres under the border, runs 73 metres below the surface, and is just 2 metres in diameter. Walking down the steep access tunnel, you’ll soon believe that depth. You’ll also appreciate the diameter when you start bonking the helmet you’re made to wear if you’re nearly 6 feet tall like me.
Most of the tunnel sits on the North Korean side, but it reaches 435 metres into the Southern Demilitarized Zone. Visitors can explore 265 metres of the incursion tunnel. Photos are not allowed down there, which is probably a good thing, as it would quickly clutter things up more.
In all honesty, it’s a challenging place to visit if you have claustrophobia. You’re very aware of how far beneath the earth you are because of the long access tunnel down. The third tunnel isn’t large either, and people’s coming and going makes it extra cramped. I’m glad I went but it did test my nerves a bit.
Dora Observatory
While the Third Tunnel is quite close to the North Korean border, it doesn’t feel it. Not so, for the Dora Observatory sitting atop Mount Dora, the rooftop of this modern facility offers views along the DMZ and into North Korea.
Even though we went on a hazy day, the views from the Dora Observatory were incredible. Whether you use the mounted binoculars or your camera’s zoom, you see so much. Not only do you get a better understanding of the DMZ’s terrain, but North Korea is right there in the distance.
The Kaesong Industrial Area in the North Korean city of Kaesong is the most obvious landmark in the distance. Farther round though, you may be able to spy the enormous flag tower emerging from what I think is Kijong Dog, a “Potemkin village” or “propaganda village”.
It can be hard to resist looking north and east, but I do suggest looking back towards the southern side of the DMZ too. The nearby farmland and buildings of the barrier zone make you realise just how narrow the DMZ is. While it runs 250 kilometres from coast to coast, it’s only about 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) wide.
Gamaksan Suspension Bridge
Following Dora Observatory, the tour takes you out of the DMZ and back to Imjingak. Depending on the time, you can get lunch and continue sightseeing. We had gone over quite early, so we had plenty of time for lunch and coffee.
Rather than return immediately to Seoul, most tours will make a detour and go northeast. This drive is nice as it’s a bit of a palette cleanser at the end of the day. Winding through lush green valleys with high hills, it felt like a part of South Korea you don’t hear enough about.
Because you’re still not far from the DMZ, the drive takes you past several war memorials, including the Gloster Hill Memorial Park.
Eventually, you arrive at a valley road lined with restaurants and other conveniences. It’s only by climbing the stairs up the hillside that you see the purpose for the stop, a long red suspension bridge in the mountains – the Gamaksan Suspension Bridge.
Views from the Gamaksan Suspension Bridge are very impressive. The occasional shrine or lookout pops out from among the thick, hilly blanket of trees. For some, the climb to the bridge is plenty, especially on a warm May day.
Keep going, though (more stairs required), and you reach Ungye Falls, a very serene waterfall. It’s not a bad way to end things before driving back into the noise of Seoul.
What about the Joint Security Area?
In the past, one of the highlights of the DMZ tour was visiting the Joint Security Area (JSA). This site sits right on the demarcation line of the two nations and was where the truce was signed in 1953. The main appeal for visitors though was that you could set foot in North Korea inside one of its UN buildings.
However, the JSA is no longer accessible to tourists as of 2023. We were told it’s because there are no longer enough personnel to secure it as a tourist site properly. However, I’ve also heard that it was due to a US soldier defecting to North Korea while on a tour. Either way, this attraction won’t be on your itinerary.
Have you done the Korean DMZ tour from Seoul before? Were you able to visit the JSA when you visited? Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments below.
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