The Unification Village

This trip involved sharing a bus with an English-speaking tour group. The English-speaking guide was Hana, while the Chinese-speaking guide, Owen, explained North and South Korea on the bus and shared his own stories. There were slight differences between the English and Chinese content, so we heard two different stories at once. This Chinese-speaking group only had 5 people, which was great because we could ask questions anytime, and he took photos for everyone. Our first stop was the Red Suspension Bridge, which required climbing a small hill – I didn't expect to be exercising so early in the morning! 🤣 Our second stop was Imjingak Park, the site of a railway used for transporting goods. Our third stop was the Third Tunnel, a secret passage dug by North Korea during its southward expansion. We put on our helmets, put away our belongings, and headed into the tunnel again! 🤣 Our fourth stop was the Dora Observatory, where we used binoculars to see mysterious North Koreans riding bicycles, walking, and soldiers at guard posts… the towering North Korean flag compared to the South Korean flag… unfortunately, photography was not allowed on the North Korean side. The guide shared photos of photos that were taken in the past. Our final stop was Unification Village, currently home to about 400 residents. South Korean flags were displayed at the entrances of their homes to indicate occupancy. The shops inside sell locally produced soybean products—chocolate, ginseng-related products, magnets, border fences, etc. It was a rare treat, so I bought everything I wanted! 👍 I thought the itinerary included the Blue House and the border between North and South Korea, but due to the strange actions of a US soldier a few years ago, it's temporarily closed. This was the most regrettable part. P.S. The closest Starbucks to North Korea isn't on the itinerary! A unique experience, very fun, and the guide's explanations were excellent. Highly recommended! 👍