korea︱Panmunjom

Panmunjom

On 27 July 1953, the United Nations Command, the Korean People's Army, and the Chinese People's Volunteer Army signed the Korean Armistice Agreement. They agreed to cease the Korean War and to establish a demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas.

According to the agreement, however, the war was only ceased, but not ended. Therefore, the two Koreas are technically still at war. Also, the Military Demarcation Line between them had long been the frontline of the Cold War.

Over the past decades, the ebb and flow of Democratic People's Republic of Korea–Republic of Korea relations went on. The demilitarised zone serves as an indicator of the relations. As the soldiers of the two countries are just a few metres away from each other, conflicts have occurred from time to time. 

It was not until April 2018 that the atmosphere in the demilitarised zone has been relaxed. The April 2018 inter-Korean summit took place on the ROK side of the Joint Security Area at Panmunjom. In the summit, Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea, and Kim Jong-un, Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, crossed the Military Demarcation Line hand-in-hand and stepped over to the North Korea side of the line. It was one of the biggest moments in international history in recent years. It also brought the relations between the two Koreas to new heights. Since then, Panmunjom has become a popular tourist spot.  

Remember to visit the blue meeting house and try to cross the Military Demarcation Line as the two leaders did. You can also go up to Odusan Unification Tower, which overlooks some villages in North Korea.