DMZ 3

The five small buildings that straddle the MDL. The blue ones are officially UN buildings, the other two on either side are North Korean controlled. The biggest incident after the JSA was split in 1976 occurred here in 1984 when a Soviet citizen on a North Korean sponsored JSA tour defected by running between these buildings and across the MDL. A 20 minute shoot-out erupted (4 killed, 6 wounded). Some of the personal effects of killed North Koreans were on display at the bar/gift shop back at the military base. top bottom
Foreground building: our guide amusingly told us that the North Koreans call this building a "recreational facility"... it just a building used in conjunction with meetings like the other 4 buildings that straddle the MDL. To the right of the building, you can see a physical MDL marker. Also, these buildings were recently spruced up after renovations to the UN buildings were made. The exterior siding, new doorway, and new roof (to make the North Korean buildings taller than the UN buildings) were added. Background building: main North Korean building at Panmunjeom (Panmun-gak Pavilion). Again, top floor was added after main UN building ("Freedom House") was renovated in order to have the tallest building on the site. Note video cameras on roof. top bottom
North Korean guard post at Panmunjeom. White stake in foreground is an MDL marker (line between North and South). One arrow indicates a North Korean Guard. The other arrow points to the open window of a dark room. Our guide said it was an indication that our group was certainly being video taped (beyond the generic surveillance stuff on top of the structure.) I think this is the building the South Koreans call "the monkey house" because of the way the North Korean soldiers look when they stand in the windows with binoculars. top bottom

|