NKHR and Human Rights Hub members departed early in the morning from Seoul to set out for Paju, the particular location chosen for our DMZ field trip. The group first visited the National Memorial for Abductees during the Korean War, and were given a tour of the museum's permanent exhibition, followed by a lecture by Ms.  Seong-hui Lee, the director of the museum. Immediately after, the group had the chance to explore Imjingak, an area that hosts monuments and exhibits all reflecting the history of the Korean War and the division of the peninsula. After lunch, the group headed to Odusan Unification Observatory, and took the time to explore the observatory's exhibits and use the binoculars that allow visitors to look out into North Korea. Overall, it was a successful and fun field trip, and the HRH looks forward to hosting more trips to the DMZ in the future!

Descriptions of each location visited can be found below:

1. National Memorial for Abductees during the Korean War: This museum was created to honor those abductees and their families, highlighting the pain of war and the divisions of families it caused. There are both permanent and special rotating exhibition halls, where donated belongings and materials of victims are displayed. Ultimately, the museum wants to memorialize this conflict as a way to both reunite families, and ensure these crimes are never forgotten, so that history may not repeat itself. 

2. Imjingak: Imjingak is located on the banks of the Imjin River along the tracks of the former Gyeongui Train Line that separates North and South Korea. The area is full of a variety of statues and monuments memorializing the Korean War and the struggles families faced after the division of the peninsula. Imjingak was constructed in 1972 with the hope that someday unification would be possible. It is one of the most famous DMZ spots to visit, and hosts several unification events annually. 

3. Dokgae Bridge: Dokgae bridge is a restored pedestrian bridge at Imjingak, symbolizing Korea's division. The bridge was reconstructed using pillars of another bridge that was destroyed during the Korean War. This bridge is the only facility where tourists can enter without a permit or pass. Slightly farther up, there is a reconstruction of what a train car of the old Gyeongui Line would have looked like. Additionally, passing the yellow line further on means crossing into the civilian control area, which limits photography at certain areas. When reaching the glass floors, both under and to the sides you can see the old pillars of the Imjin River Bridge that are indented with bullet marks from the war. 

4. Mangbaedan: Mangbaedan was constructed September 26, 1985 at the request of those who were separated from their family during the Korean War. There are special engravings on the monument symbolizing the landscape of the peninsula. People with family still in the North and defectors, particularly, visit Mangbaedan during the New Year and Chuseok holidays to hold rituals and ancestral rites. 

5. Bridge of Freedom: 12,773 Korean War POWs crossed the Bridge of Freedom to return home in 1953. It was first built during the Japanese colonial era as a pair of railroad bridges (one northbound and the other southbound) on the Seoul-Sinuiju line, but they were destroyed during the Korean War in bombings. After signing the Armistice Agreement in 1953, a temporary wooden bridge was built beside the destroyed railway bridges to exchange POWs. Prisoners traveled first by vehicle to the Gyeongui Line railway bridge and then crossed this bridge on foot. Since the bridge was constructed initially for temporary purposes, it was made with simple wooden planks and metal reinforcements. It holds symbolic significance as a representation of the "return to freedom," making it an important heritage site from the Korean War. From the right side of the bridge, it is possible to see the remains of the old southbound bridge on the Seoul-Sinuiju line in the river.

6. Steam Locomotive at Jangdan Station: This steam locomotive and its 25 carriages operated during the Korean War, transporting military supplies and food for the Allied Forces. On December 31, 1950, the train was bound for Sinuiju Station. However, Allied forces feared that the train would fall to the hands of the North Korean and Chinese forces on the way to its destination. So, US forces opened fire on the train when it arrived at Jangdan station, and it exploded and derailed. It was left in the destroyed state for over 50 years. On February 6, 2004, it was designated as Registered Cultural Property No. 78, and in November 2007, it underwent a restoration process. The train was finally moved to Imjingak on June 25, 2009. 

7. Odusan Unification Observatory: The observatory is located at the northernmost ceasefire line of the western front where the Han River and Imjin River meet. From the observatory deck, visitors can look both into North Korea and Paju. The lower floors host several exhibits, ranging from art, to historical plaques and info boards, to documentary clips, all highlighting Korea's division and efforts made over the decades to reconcile. The observatory is one of the most popular tourists attractions along the entirety of the DMZ.

Photos by Lauren Yhip and Bitna Kim

Written by Lauren Yhip for Yonsei GSIS Human Rights Hub