The Korean peninsula is split into two countries along a dividing line referred to as the 38th parallel. This 155-mile division is padded by an area called the DMZ (Korean Demilitarized Zone). Neither North nor South Koreans are able to cross this line, unless they’re officials meeting in the JSA (Joint Security Area). This area was planned specifically to bring about talks between the two Koreas, and is still seen as a symbol of hope for reunification.

Our tour departed at 7:30 am from the JSA visitor center in Camp Bonifas (Seoul). Our first stop was the JSA. When we arrived, we got a short introduction to the history between North and South Korea and a brief explanation of the buildings in the meeting area. Once we were outside, we were able to take photos of the North Korean side of the JSA  and actually step over into North Korea while inside the meeting room. We only saw one North Korean soldier on their side, which made my brain equate it to some kind of weird whale watching experience. My brain is terrible.
Fun fact: The gray North Korean building that you can see in the background of some of the photos was once two stories, but they decided to add a third level to make it taller than the South Korean building. One-upping is a theme around the DMZ.

After our tour of the JSA, we headed to a lookout point with a view of North Korea’s “Propaganda Village”. At the lookout point, visitors can see a village just on the other side of the DMZ, which looks normal enough to the naked eye. If you look a bit closer, however, you can see that the village isn’t actually inhabited, and most of the buildings have fake windows and doors. Maintenance crews and hired inhabitants sometimes pop up from time to time to make it seem like things are business as usual. “A” for effort, North Korea. You can read more about the village here.
Fun fact: The flagpole in the photos is another example of North Korea’s urge to one-up South Korea. South Korea erected a flag, and North Korea answered by erecting a bigger one. A flag battle ensued.  North Korea’s flag in the village weighs nearly 600 pounds.

Last on the agenda was the third tunnel area. The third tunnel is a tunnel that was found in the 1970’s, just 30 miles north of Seoul. Built by North Korea as a route to invade, the tunnel is only one of many that have been discovered along the DMZ. The tunnel site includes a museum, a short movie about the conflict between the two countries, and a gift shop where visitors can buy imported North Korean goods. Photography isn’t allowed in the tunnels, so just use your imagination.
Fun fact: When confronted about the tunnel, North Korea said it was a coal mine. A coal mine made of granite.

There are quite a few tour companies to choose from when looking to book a tour of the DMZ and JSA. We went with Koridoor, which provided transportation, an adorable tour guide, and lunch. You can get more info about their tours here.