North Korea and South Korea are still at war.
South Korean native Juwon Kim ’28 said, “I would describe the North Korea problem as a huge threat that’s not always visible.”
The Demilitarized Zone, established by the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement, is 2.5 miles-wide fortified border separating North and South Korea.
Overlooking North Korea is Dora Observatory, where Kijong-dong village can be seen. The village is a symbol of North Korea’s prosperity, containing vibrant colorful buildings. Except, it is completely empty.
Underneath the DMZ are four known tunnels built by North Korea for surprise attacks. After a tip from a defector in 1978, the South discovered these tunnels. One of which, named the “Third Tunnel of Aggression,” can be visited while in the DMZ.
There was an opportunity to meet with someone who defected, and she offered information about the daring escape to freedom as well as life in North Korea.
The defector recalled the metro station was one of many with comfortable temperatures, where couples often meet. Electricity was limited, and most homes only received power for a couple of hours a day.
The North Korean government tightly controls information, teaching children that in the Korean War, Korea was attacked by the U.S. and South Korea, showing maps that claim the entire peninsula as North Korean territory, and sending some to secret schools to train them as loyal patriots and officials.
A meeting with a Chinese businessman changed everything for her. “We went to local markets [and] lots of Chinese businessmen came and told stories of China. I didn’t know a lot about the outside world […] he told me if I came to China, I would make more money and lead a better life.”
When she made the decision to defect in 2015, she had to find a broker who was willing to smuggle her, her husband, and son out of the country.
“The person knew the route very well and led us out. So I crossed the Tuhan River to go to China, then Vietnam, then Cambodia, then South Korea. It took me six months.”
To finally make it to South Korea, she received help from churches and a friend who previously defected. It cost around $7,000 for the three of them.
“I had to stay very secret in China, and I met someone from the South Korean churches. Those people helped me to get to South Korea.”
She was able to stay in touch with her younger sister by paying a broker in China to have a short phone call. Shortly after, her sister reported their family was being closely monitored by the government.
The DMZ was an eerie place to visit, but beneath the paranoia there is so much to learn.
