Dora Observatory Tower

We then entered into the demilitarized zone (DMZ), the buffer area that surrounds the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) or exact line that separates North and South Korea. To enter we had to show our passports and uniformed soldiers came on the bus to give us access. Photos were restricted in many of these areas, so some of the pictures are from our tour guide Dennis. Our first stop in the DMZ was the observatory where we could look over at North Korea. Although we could not see the fence between the two sides at this distance, the boundary was clear. The north has been completely deforested due to when they didn’t have electricity and used all the timber for fuel. We learned about how they used to jam the radio signal and could see the tower. Also, both sides use propaganda and loud speakers. We heard the South’s playing music. There are a few small villages in the DMZ that are heavily guarded. North Korea is a highly controlled country with a repressive government that restricts civil liberties and human rights. The government uses arbitrary arrest, torture, forced labor, and executions to maintain control. This summer, North Korea sent hundreds of balloons carrying trash and feces to the south.