A Trip to the Border: The DMZ

One of the first trips we took outside Seoul after settling in last summer was a USO sponsored visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and the border between North and South Korea. It was an experience that helped clarify the reality of the country we are gradually starting to call home and gave us a new perspective, although not in ways you might expect.

First a little background. When the Korean War ended in 1953, the dividing line between North and South Korea was re-established roughly along the 38th parallel. The war never officially ended but rather resulted in a cease-fire with a Military Demarcation Line (MDL) running the 155 mile width of the Korean Peninsula, effectively separating it into the Republic of Korea (ROK) in the south and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the north. The DMZ is a buffer zone along the border and is about 2.5 miles wide. Of course, it's not demilitarized at all but instead is the most heavily armed border in the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Demilitarized_Zone#Joint_Security_Area

Inside the DMZ, at Panmunjeom, is one of the most unusual places we've ever visited, the Joint Security Area (JSA). This is the only place along the MDL where North and South connect and where ROK and DPRK soldiers literally stare at each other across the line. The JSA consists of several buildings on either side of the line and a few of them which actually straddle the border. The building Tanya and I went in is the conference building where representatives of the United Nations Command and the North Koreans periodically meet. Half of the building is on the north side, half on the south with the actual MDL going through the middle of the conference table. So, Tanya and I were technically about 10 feet into North Korea while we were inside the building.

Looking into North Korea across the Line

Our US Military Escort

Inside the conference building on the North Korean side. Out that door: North Korea

So, what were our impressions? Well, definitely this is a serious place. Just getting into the DMZ with its guard posts, fences, fortifications and security tell you this is not Disneyland. And yes, the potential for a military altercation does exist. But there's a certain level of theatre and posturing that goes on here. The South Korean soldiers with their sunglasses and taikwondo stances, the North Korean soldier peering at us through binoculars from the steps of their building, the cameras, all are designed to convey non-verbal messages of defiance. The very fact that the USO arranges regular visits to the DMZ for civilians is meant to send a message to those on the north side of the line. There are no such tours for North Korean residents to gaze southward. But, did we get the impression that a renewal of hostilities between the two sides is imminent or at least, inevitable. No.
Finally, the natural question is if and when will the two Koreas reunite? When will the North finally give up its self-imposed isolation and poverty to join its prosperous brothers in the South? That's a much tougher question to answer because, in a sense, both sides need each other to maintain the status quo. The North Korean leadership and its huge military need to maintain the fiction that the South and the US are ready to invade them at any time in order to keep themselves in power. The South may want reunification from an emotional and historical standpoint, but not on a practical economic level. South Koreans have worked very hard to achieve their material wealth and place in the world and are not excited about taking on a massive charity case should the North's system collapse. So, every year the South sends humanitarian aid and assistance northward and officials exchange visits. But, for the foreseeable future, the two sides need everything to stay pretty much the way it is.

The Korean Costco Experience

Just in case you thought all our days in Korea are spent touring temples, eating kimchi and drinking green tea, we wanted to introduce you to a weekend shopping experience we thought you could all relate to.

The other morning I woke up with an urge to, once again, enjoy the taste of Belgian beer. In my half-asleep status I anticipated driving over to John's Market in Multnomah to pick up a case of one of my favorites, Leffe. Within the next 15 seconds, as the clouds of sleep dissipated from my brain, I quickly remembered that 1) I'm not in Portland, 2) I don't have a car and 3) I'm not sure where I can get some of that Belgian nectar of the gods. Being the resourceful Samsung man I am, once at my office I called a Belgian colleague who works for another Samsung division to ask where he gets his brew from home. While confessing that he now is into Beck's Dark, he suggested that old standby, Costco. So, on Sunday morning off we went to that temple of warehouse merchandising to once again surround ourselves with packages of Kirkland this and Kirkland that, ultimately finding success in my quest for Belgian beer but not finding the pesto Tanya was looking for. Oh well.

Costco stores in Korea are practically identical to those in the US, with a couple of notable exceptions. First, they are multilevel. Grocery items are on the basement level, all other merchandise is on the ground level and the upper three levels are for parking. It's very efficient, actually, with the floors accessed by escalator. Shopping carts have grooved wheels that correspond to the escalator grates so carts don't go crashing into the other shoppers in front of, or behind you.

The other difference, of course, is the selection of items. The marketing geniuses at Costco seemed to have figured out just the right mix of domestic and imported products to satisfy Korean shoppers. You can find Budweiser beer, Tillamook cheese, and Atlantic salmon, as well as bargain quantities and prices on Korean goods. Of course, you can also get the industrial sized packages of toilet paper, cleaning products and other items that Costco is famous for. Oh, you might wonder how we get our treasures home, with no car. Easy. We take a 15 minute bus ride, then a short 10 minute walk to Costco, use our "Costco Bags" (see the one Tanya is holding above) and then take a taxi home. Voila! It's actually easier than when we shopped at the Tigard Costco, loaded stuff into the car and then had to haul everything up the stairs from our garage.

Here are photos of today's shopping excursion for your enjoyment:

Christmas in Malaysia

Today is the first day of the lunar new year, a very big holiday in Korea, and Jay has three days off while Tanya continues on with her work as a public health nurse at US Army Garrison Yongsan. So, it gives me a little time to fill in some of the blanks on what we've been up to.

In December, we spent two weeks in Malaysia; one week on the island of Langkawi and a few days each in Penang and Kuala Lumpur (KL). Langkawi was very relaxing with its tropical weather in contrast to the cold Korean winter. We're not really beach people but the setting at the Westin, where we stayed, was quite nice and very restful.

There's not especially a lot to do on Langkawi but therein lies its charm. With a heavy Muslim population, there's not much nightlife, a possible exception being the hotel beach area, a 20-minute cab ride from where we stayed. Evening comes early, with beautiful tropical sunsets and pleasant strolls along the beach. A perfect place for a relaxing holiday.

Penang, although only a short 3-hour ferry ride south, is a different story. Known to some as the "Silicon Valley of Malaysia", Penang is a bustling, energetic combination of manufacturing, shopping and high-rise condo construction with a primarily ethnic Chinese population. Intel is here, as well as lots of other high-tech companies and the area, like so much of Asia, is booming. Christmas is celebrated and carols could be heard in shopping malls, restaurants and hotel lobbies throughout the island. But, it wasn't the frenetic, advertising-bombarded, in-your-face constantly kind of Christmas we're accustomed to in the US. Different.

We ended our trip in KL, with a view of the Petronas Twin Towers from our hotel window.

Once the tallest buildings in the world, Tower #2 on the left, as well as the skybridge, was built by Samsung Construction. Samsung is now working on what will be the latest world's tallest building, the Burj Dubai in Dubai. One thing you can say about Samsung (and about Korean companies in general) is that they do not think small.

Post-Christmas sales were in full swing in the malls and Tanya was ecstatic. KL has a very efficient subway/train/bus system and it was a short trip to Tanya's favorite, the "Mid-Valley MegaMall" (sounds kind of like something in California doesn't it) with over 400 stores and an 18-screen cineplex. Malaysians flock to these merchandising havens, not only for the shopping experience, but because they're marvelously air-conditioned, not a small factor.

That's all for today. Happy New Year (the year of the rat)!

You can impress your Korean friends by greeeting them with "say hay boke-mahn he pah du say oh".

Field Trip

Jay is an instructor for Samsung Group, helping Samsung managers improve their English language business communications skills. Most course programs run for 10 weeks and one of the programs includes a field trip. The idea is for the trainees to act as hosts for their instructor, introducing him/her to different aspects of Korean culture. Typical activities include visits to museums and palaces in Seoul, walking tours of interesting neighborhoods and having lunch at a traditional Korean restaurant. It's a great opportunity to interact with trainees outside the classroom in a more informal atmosphere. These photos are from this week's field trip:

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Changing of the Guard: Deoksugung Palace