Is Panmunjom in North Korea or South Korea?

Panmunjom is located in the central and western part of the Korean peninsula, 5 kilometers south of the 38th parallel north latitude. This used to be a little-known place. 1On July 27th, 953, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed here, and Panmunjom became famous all over the world.

The meeting place of the Korean Military Armistice Commission opposite the military demarcation line on the Korean Peninsula.

A South Korean soldier and a North Korean

Soldiers in Panmunjom, North Korea

On duty on both sides of the military demarcation line on the peninsula

On New Year's Day in 2003, a North Korean child looked at North Korea through a telescope on the Korean side of Panmunjom.

Korean armistice negotiations were first held in Laifengzhuang, a suburb of Kaesong controlled by North Korea, and moved to Panmunjom, the military demarcation line, on 195 1 year 10/0/0. At that time, there were no buildings here, so we had to use some temporary military tents as negotiation venues. The night before the armistice agreement was signed, engineers and technicians from the DPRK and China miraculously built a wooden hall with Korean national characteristics. Today, this signing hall, together with the negotiation venue of that year, has become a historic memorial place. For some time after the Korean armistice, Panmunjom was still used as the meeting place of Armistice Commission. After the Korean armistice, the north and south sides of Korea built 24 buildings in this "common security area" with a diameter of about 800 meters. Panmunjom and Unification Pavilion are built in the north, and Freedom House and Peace House are built in the south, which are the locations of the North-South liaison agencies and the places for dialogue respectively. Many talks between North Korea and South Korea were also held here. The "joint security area" actually spans the north-south military demarcation line, and the negotiating table in the Military Armistice Commission is located in the middle of this line. On the military demarcation line, there are also seven sky-blue simple wooden houses, which are the conference hall of the Military Armistice Commission established according to the Armistice Agreement and the workplace of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission. In the conference hall of the Military Armistice Commission, there is a long table in the middle, and representatives of both sides sit on both sides respectively during the meeting. Outside the house, the guards of North Korea and the United States and South Korea stand across a 5 cm high cement line-the military demarcation line, and neither side can take a step. The north-south military demarcation line is 24 1 km long, and there are 129 1 yellow landmarks. The top facing Korea is written in English and Korean; While those facing North Korea are written in Korean and Chinese. According to the regulations, 2000 meters on both sides of the military demarcation line is a demilitarized zone to avoid friction between the two sides.

Now Panmunjom has become a tourist spot for foreign tourists. Generally, guests visiting North Korea will be arranged to visit Panmunjom.

South Korea also regards Panmunjom as a tourist route. But tourists who come here for sightseeing are not allowed to wear jeans, sandals, shorts or sportswear, and their hair must be neat. In addition, tourists are not allowed to walk around at will. Vehicles have to transfer to the special bus in the joint security area at the peripheral Boniface military camp, and can only enter Panmunjom after being checked by two military and police checkpoints. Another unique landscape of Panmunjom is the flag towers erected in the north and south respectively. South Korea is only 100 meters high, while North Korea's flag tower is as high as 160 meters, with a flag length of 30 meters, claiming to be the first in the world.

On the side of North Korea's military administrative zone, there is a village composed of many carefully planned small buildings. It is said that there are no real villagers living there, only a few staff responsible for raising and lowering flags and workers who maintain houses all the year round.

1On July 27th, 953, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed in Panmunjom.

There are also two villages on the Korean side of the military control zone, one of which is Dacheng Cave (also known as Freedom Village) under the jurisdiction of the joint security zone. There are 237 people in the east of Dacheng, and they have lived here for generations. Generally, tourists are not allowed to visit Dacheng Cave. Because of the special environment, residents of Dachengdong work in the fields during the day, and must go home when it gets dark, and are required to close the doors and windows before 1 1 at night. Foreign leaders will come here whenever there is an opportunity. Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, former German Chancellor Kohl, former Australian Prime Minister Keating, former US President Bill Clinton and current President Bush have all been to the Korean side of Panmunjom.