Panmunjeom: Where 40 centimeters make a whole world of difference

The demarcation line running in the middle of the DMZ at Panmunjeom is the point where the two Koreas are the nearest. No four kilometers of border here, it is so close you can see the Korean People`s Army guards watching you: the concrete slab representing the demarcation line is 40 centimeters wide.

To take you there, there are two tours to choose from. The travel companies are not competing with each other, and they offer vastly different services.

To help visitors decide which tour best meets their needs, the author visited the DMZ with the two agencies. To make it simple, let`s call them Tour A and Tour B.



<**1>Tour A allows visitors to wear sandals, jeans, shorts, tank-tops (singlets) and exercise clothes.

Tour B: none of the above.



Tour A doesn`t require you to bring your passport.

Tour B requires your passport, which will be checked twice.



Tour A does not ask visitors to wear a badge during the visit.

Tour B: Badge is mandatory.



Tour A: The army guide casually gets in your touring car, bus or minibus at the entrance of the DMZ.

Tour B: Visitors are required to get off the tour company bus and get on an army bus at the entrance of the DMZ.



Tour A offers a leisurely walk when sightseeing.

Tour B`s sightseeing is from a bus, Universal Studios-style.



Tour A sells T-shirts without any army logos or insignias.

Tour B sells T-shirts with army logos and insignias only.



Tour A does not make visitors sign official documents.

Tour B makes visitors sign an affidavit stating that the tour operator "may not be held accountable in the event of a hostile enemy act."



Tour A allows visitors to take their belongings with them during the visit.

Tour B allows only cameras and videos. Bags and camera case must stay on the army bus.



Tour A has no photography restrictions: Visitors can take pictures anywhere.

Tour B allows photographs in specific areas only.

For example, Tour A lets you take pictures of the Freedom Tower. Tour B doesn`t.



Tour A lets visitors linger.

Tour B is on very strict schedule.



<**2>The conference hall of the Military Armistice Commission is the building straddling the demarcation line. Visitors from either side can go inside the building, effectively crossing the line, if only for a few meters.



Tour A: If visitors from the other side are inside the building, the tour company waits until visitors leave to have access to the conference hall.

Tour B: If visitors from the other side are inside the building, the tour company will not wait and will skip the visit.



Tour A includes a visit of the building where the truce talks happened and the building where the armistice was signed.

Tour B: No visit of either building.



So, if you want to go to Panmunjeom, which tour company would you choose? Experienced travelers, photography enthusiasts and people enjoying relaxed clothing will probably opt for Tour A, which offers more freedom and flexibility than Tour B.

Want to sign up? There is only one slight problem: Tour A operates out of Pyongyang, while Tour B operates out of Seoul.



To get there from Seoul:

Panmunjeom Travel Center

Lotte Hotel Second Floor, Sogong-dong, Jung-gu Seoul

Price is 70,000 Won

Telephone: (02) 771-5593-5

www.panmunjomtour.com



To get there from Pyongyang:

Koryo Tours

(located in Beijing)

+86 10 6416 7544

www.koryogroup.com

Price is $25.

Please note that U.S and ROK citizens, as well as nuclear weapons inspectors are not allowed at this time.

(jgpoulot@earthlink.net)





Jean Poulot visited Panmunjeom twice this summer. A dual citizen, he used his French passport on Tour A and his U.S. passport on Tour B. When not taking pictures at the DMZ, he teaches animation at Kookmin University.



By Jean G. Poulot Contributing writer