The East Meets West When the North Meets the South

I am still uncertain as to what it is I should say right about now. This weekend was one in which contrasting worldviews came into contact two separate times in the same day. I feel I am updating today because I simply have to say something, and can't let this slide as just another kick at the can. What I was able to get a glimpse at, is rooted in something far deeper than was revealed or shown to me when I saw it. So what I say may not do any justice to what may actually be happening, but it's worth a shot. The first contact would be at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which is essentially the border between North and South Korea, and the last remaining remnant of the Cold War. The second encounter was with Brother Yun, a Chinese house church leader who came to speak (translated into English) at the church I have been attending out here.

Saturday started with a 6:00 a.m. wake-up, as Dan, Noel (Dan's sister) and I made our way to meet our DMZ tour group. None of those details are really important, as we got on our comfortable bus and made our way north. Just as we made our way out of Seoul, we were on the coast. We were able to look out over the ocean and to the islands that were out there. However our view was obstructed by barbed wire fences and guard posts stationed every 400-500m apart as we made our way north. This would a brief introduction to a day in a war zone, as the North and South Korea are still technically at war.

As we made our way up, the instructions started to come, photo restrictions, movement restrictions, where we could go, where we couldn't and the like. Wasn't difficult to follow, but a little unnerving. Out first stop was a monument park. Which was nice, but I was more interested in getting snacks for the day and using the can, so not much happened there. We then made our way through the levels of security to get into the zone where civilians could go. We wouldn't actually be allowed into the DMZ, but the area around it.

We were then taken to a tunnel, one of four that was dug by the north to try and get into the south. It reached into the south 1.2km's until it was discovered. As I mentioned this was one of many which were discovered which were of various sizes and purposes. Some big enough for tanks, others simply for sending spies through. We couldn't take pictures here, so I don't have much. The North claimed that they used in search of coal. The South sent geologists in to look into the validity of this only to realize that the North had spray painted the tunnel with the hope of passing it off as coal, it wasn't hard to see difference in color between the rock and spray paint. This was one of a few "reasons" they had for building the tunnel. The others were all just as poor and rediculas.

Next stop was the Dora Observatory where we were actually able to look over into the North with the help of a few binoculars. Unfortunately it was a foggy day so I wasn't able to see much, but I was able to see a North Korean guard in his post, leaning on a rail, as though it were just another day at work. I was sad for the fellow. It was also difficult to grasp all that may have been going on in that country at the time, ranging from persecution to famine.

The final stop was the Dorasan Train Station. This was the furthest station north on the S. Korean rail network. It was simply built with the hope of joining the North and eventually the rest of the world by land, as essentially S. Korea is politically an island nation. This was paid for all by private South Korean donors. The desire from S. Koreans to be one with the North is huge and unexpected. Although opinions may vary from one person to the next, I have been surprised with how the South is doing all the right steps to promote unification. They simply see the North as family, not a financial burden, not a politically inept nation or even as a something to be feared. They want one Korea, generally. I didn't see this coming, from the lens of my television and firm words from various world leaders on the issue. They have tended to be conflicting to the view that the South has on the North.

Needless to say it was an interesting day, and I haven't even touched Brother Yun. I will save him for next week, or least when I gather a few more thoughts and run my thoughts by others who were there as well.

Hope this blog continues to give you an update on my life over here. I keep saying to myself, I would not be interested in doing this back home, as it would seem tedious, simply because I would much rather see you all in person. But I can't and this is the best I got.

Kamsa Hamnida for letting me share my thoughts and ramblings.

Kev