(DMZ)
Panmunjom and the United Nations
Joint Security Area - Camp Bonifas
ROK - Republic of Korea (South)
DPRK - Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North)
DMZ - The Demilitarized Zone. A two kilometre buffer zone on either side of the Demarcation Line (DML) the official boundary between the two Korea's. This is a heavy weapons exclusion zone.
DML - The Demarcation Line or Border which divides the two nations stretching from the East Sea to the West Sea.
CCZ - The Civilian Control Zone. A three to twelve kilometre zone set outside the DMZ on the Southern side only to limit civilians from nearing the DMZ. Access via military checkpoint only.
UNC - United Nations Command.
JSA - Joint Security Area (Panmunjom, within the DMZ). The Truce Area where the two sides meet weekly. This is the only location within the DMZ where the two sides are face-to-face. This area is controled by the UNC.
Munsan Corridor - One of two major invasion routes that lead to Seoul. Stretching from Munsan just north of Ilsan-gu and south of the DMZ (West Sea side) through the cities of Paju-si, Goyang-si (and my neighborhood of Ilsan-gu), and Seoul. This is a large flat valley devoid of consistant mountians. This corridor to Seoul is laced with ROK & US bases, anti-tank barriers, expoding highway barriers, artillery outposts and random military checkpoints. As this corrider is directly within civilian cities and town most of the above is kept as low key as possible but one need look only look out a window to see.
The Han River - Stretching to the West Sea and well south of Seoul, the Han River connects with the western-most point of the DMZ and thus is an attachment to it. From the DMZ straight to the outer-city limits of Seoul a double fence, ten feet high, and heavily guarded by soldiers was erected to prevent infiltration of Northern agents and commando's. This has however, prevented the beautiful river from being used for recreation.
Here is the cross-road of Hell,
Under the white clouds floating below the blue stars,
Where the red lumps of flesh,
And the dark-red clods of iron,
Burnt aflame continuously and fell down.
Though the powder smoke that covered the battlefield was now cleared.
In the valleys and passes where the mist is now cleared,
There is no single pine tree where birds may dwell,
Not a wild chrysanthemum where bees or butterflies may stop.
Is it because the heat of the earth is already cooled off,
Or the bullet-scars are to deep in the naked surface of the earth?
Even though the wild bush grew into a faded grace,
In the front garden of Panmunjom,
What nightmare are you going to plot again?
You, the Demilitarized Zone, entangled with barbed wire,
155 miles from east to the west,
And four kilometres from the south to the north?
Climbing up the blue mossy rocks,
Under the maples all over the mountian
How long must I keep standing here, face to face,
Vacantly with you, the fallen leaves as my friend,
As if I were a fading pine tree of drooping branches.
Chang Ho-gang.