Places
Generally, we can separate DMZ tours into two parts, first one is the tours including Panmunjeom (or JSA; Joint Security Area), and the other is the tours that are comprised of the infiltrated tunnel and observatory.
From our experiences, most exciting tour is Panmunjeom Tour (or, called ‘JSA Tour’) because you ‘may’ see the North-Koran guards who are on sentry at Panmunjeom. But, it is not easy to join this tour because this tour doesn’t take place everyday and it need advance booking.
So, most common DMZ tour is Paju DMZ Tour, which covers 3rd Tunnel, Dora Observatory. Why common? Paju is the closest place among several DMZ Tour places, so it takes only 1h by car from Seoul.
Besides Panmunjeom Tour and Paju DMZ Tour, there are two more DMZ tour places; Cheorwon and Yanggu. But, these tours are less popular than Paju DMZ Tour because the required time is longer. (i.e., take more time to reach there)
But, if you go to either of these places, you may get the chills because these places ar not bustle tourist places.
■ Excerpts from other sources
About 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. It is 250 kilometers (160 miles) long,[1] approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) wide and is the most heavily militarized border in the world. The Northern Limit Line, or NLL, is the de facto maritime boundary between North and South Korea in the Yellow Sea and the coastline and islands on both sides of the NLL are also heavily militarized.
About Imjingak
The park was built to console those from both sides who are unable to return to their hometowns, friends and families because of the division of Korea.
Imjingak is where the “Bridge of Freedom” lies. The Freedom bridge does actually cross the Imjin river, it is a former railroad bridge which was used by repatriated POWs/soldiers returning from the north. It is more famous, however, and until 1998; was the only point of egress in the western sector other than Liberty Bridge (which was controlled by the ROK Army) onto the DMZ, and the only direct link to Camp Greaves, Liberty Bell, and Panmunjom. This is not to be confused with the “bridge of freedom” which is merely an access bridge to the main span that allowed the 1 way south bound traffic to pass by while northbound traffic stood waiting its turn to cross; it now crosses a stream adjacent to the Imjin river and connects with the North-South railway.
About Dora Observatory
Dora Observatory is on the South Korean side of the 38th parallel. Situated on top of Dorasan (Mount Dora), the observatory looks across the Demilitarized Zone. It is the part of South Korea closest to the North. Visitors can catch a rare glimpse of the reclusive North Korean state through binoculars from the 304 square feet, 500-person capacity observatory. They will be able to see the North Korean propaganda village situated in the DMZ, a remnant of the old prosperity of the North, and can see as far as the city of Kaesong. The observatory is very close to the Third Tunnel (Third North Korean Infiltration Tunnel), a massive North Korean-dug tunnel which was planned as a pathway for invasion to the South if war had erupted and it had not been discovered. The Dorasan Station, also nearby, is designed to be the station that connects the railroads of the South and North one day in the future.
About Panmunjeom (or, called JSA)
The Joint Security Area (JSA) is the only portion of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) where South and North Korean forces stand face-to-face. It is often called the “Truce Village” in both the media and various military accounts. The JSA is used by the two Koreas for diplomatic engagements and, until March 1991, was also the site of military negotiations between North Korea and the United Nations Command (UNC).
(referenced on wikipedia.org)
Buffering hostilities from the north and south, the heavily guarded premises of Panmunjeom are located in the middle of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) and remain reserved strictly for political engagements. Providing the only road connecting the two countries, it is here where the historical signing of the Armistice Agreement took place between Communist forces and the United Nations Command (UNC) in 1953 after a succession of peace talks that lasted more than two years. However, although the event signaled an end to the Korean War, tensions resurfaced once again in 1976 when North Korean guards killed two American soldiers a short distance away, during the famous ‘Tree Killing Event’.
Although the premises remain a huge tourist attraction, pressure continues to swell and the de facto zone remains a virtual hot bed of unpredictability. Visitors are cautioned to follow strict protocol as not to upset northern officials. Yet such awareness seems to have very little effect in detracting tourists from witnessing such cultural differences up close. In fact, at the time of this writer’s journey, I was informed that bookings needed to be made far in advance as seats filled up extremely fast. Indeed, Panmunjeom was arguably the most eagerly awaited highlight of the journey. But although it remains a huge draw card to the tour itself, several other stops along the way proved equally rewarding.
(referenced on visitkorea.or.kr)
usiness point of view, Everland is one of subsidiary of Samsung Group and Lotte World is one of subsidiary of Lotte Group. Most Korean people prefer to visit Everland because Everland is much bigger than Lotte World and their attractions are more than Lotte World. (also, newer)
The strong point of Lotte World is its location and you can reach without difficulty because it is located at Jamsil Station. (Subway Line 2)