In the abandoned and demilitarised city of Cheorwon, the vestiges of the Korean conflict are more than evident. Discover the interesting history on this day trip from Seoul.
Description
All armed conflicts cause collateral damage and devastating consequences for both the military and civil population. The Korean War is no exception. Few places have been as affected as Cheorwon; under North Korean control from 1945, it was the scene for many a battle and has been built anew as part of South Korea in the post-war years. Having said that, even today military trucks and checkpoints are a frequent sight and the horrors of the past can very much be felt.
To start our day trip, we'll head towards the demilitarized area of Cheorwon. These days, in memory of the conflict, there is a plaque that reads, "The iron horse wants to run again". If you're wondering what this means, don't worry, as your knowledgeable guide will explain it to you on the tour!
In this abandoned area, we'll visit the Second Tunnel, dug to surprise the enemies. It is the widest tunnel in Korea and the closest to North Korea, discovered in 1975. We'll walk along 3.5 kilometres (2.1 miles) and discover a secret invasion route.
We'll also visit the Cheorwon Peace Observatory, a centre dedicated to honouring the memory of the victims of the conflict and offering an extraordinary view of the border area between the two Koreas.
The tour continues to the Woljeong-ri Railway Station. Its facilities were rendered totally unusable after the US bombing raids. We'll refuel with a delicious lunch, made of various vegetables.
Finally, we'll make our way back to the same starting points in Seoul, where we'll arrive 11 to 13 hours later.
Schedules & Meeting Points
This activity includes pickup in the following points in Seoul:
- Myeong-dong Station (exit 1): at 7:30 am
- City Hall Station (exit 6): at 7:45 am
When booking, you'll have to indicate which station you'd like to be picked up at.
Other DMZ Tours
If you're interested, we also offer a DMZ Korea Tour from Seoul which visits the most famous area of the DMZ, including Freedom Road and Panmunjom, where the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed.
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