DMZ: THE WALL BETWEEN TWO BROTHERS

                                

                                        DMZ: THE WALL BETWEEN TWO BROTHERS

   Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is shamble of division and pain. This line represents the story of human pain, political drama, international conflict and power politics. The bigger question who is victim of this game? Answer is only one “Humanity”. When I was high school student first time I study in General Knowledge book about the division of nations including my nation that is division of India. Division never brings happiness and its pain haunted forever.

  What is DMZ? The Korean Demilitarized Zone (Hangul: 한반도 비무장지대; Hanja: 韓半島非武裝地帶) is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea which runs along the 38th parallel north. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and the east end lying north of it.

   My first journey to DMZ in Korea starts in 2009. It was “PEACE TOUR” and only the people from those countries participated, those helps Republic of Korea during Korean War. The countries are Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand ,Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Japan ( Naval Support and Military Servicing/Repairs), Denmark, Italy, Norway, India and Sweden (Medical staff).

    First time I visited Dorasan Station in 2010. Dorasan Station is a railroad station situated on the Gyeongui Line, which once connected North and South Korea and has now been restored. On December 11, 2007, freight trains began traveling north past Dorasan Station into North Korea, taking materials to the Kaesong Industrial Region, and returning with finished goods.

    It was scheduled to make one 16-kilometer (9.9 mi) trip every weekday. However, on December 1, 2008, the North Korean government closed the border crossing, after accusing South Korea of a confrontational policy. This coincided with the South Korean legislative election, 2008, and a change to a more conservative government. This station is milestone between South and North Korea. Hope it will start soon and rail line becomes life line for two nations.

     I went to DMZ to meet with Korean Militry who is working for their country. I talk to them and also ate together. Food was simple and healthy. They told us many animals and bird come from North Korea. The border of North Korea and South Korea is full of natural beauty. There are so many species of plants and animals are found on the border. Every day people from many countries visit this place and feel the pain and sorrow of division.

    In 2012, I went to DMZ again with Korea Brand friends to make story of pain. Our topic was “슬픔” means sorrow. South Korean people also realize the DMZ represents the sorrow between two nations. In this journey I realize the government doesn’t have much option and they can only make some memorial park. The Unification process should be initiated from both sides. Only South Korea cannot able to unify. South Korea government tires many time and even it open the Ministry of Unification but the response from North Korea was not positive and the dream to make one country failed.

    During my DMZ visit I meet to the woman from North Korea. She was working on the information centre and tells the story of North Korea. While talking about her country she starts crying. The emotion and pain come from the tears of that woman. She told us that North Korean people don’t have freedom. North Korean people don’t have food, house and basic requirement of everyday life.

 

     I am doing my Ph.D, majoring International Politics and I am little sensitive than other people about DMZ. I visited 4 times to DMZ and I want to feel the pain of division between South Korea and the North Korea. I realize that many people visit the DMZ as fun but this border is victim of war, pain and sorrow of many people. We can see the North Korea with 500 won and think that we see the North Korea. I don’t want to see North Korea with telescope but I want to visit. I am waiting, when I can take the train from Dorasan Station to reach to North Korea.