Ganghwado Island (South Korea), Aug 4 (PTI)—"I can see the hill that I used to play on and the house in which I lived," reflects Chae Ja Eok, a displaced North Korean whose origins are a mere six kilometers from Gyondong village near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Ganghwado Island, northwest South Korea.
Chae has resided in Gyondong for the last 70 years, yet he's never been able to return or discover the fate of his parents. "My parents probably passed away in their 50s or 60s. I feel guilt and sadness that I don’t even know where they are buried," he laments.
The DMZ on Ganghwado Island provides a rare glimpse into the prolonged plight of displaced North Koreans who have remained there for over seven decades. Located around 60 kilometers from Seoul, Ganghwado Island is separated from North Korea by the waters of the Yesong and Han Rivers, making it one of South Korea's closest frontiers with its northern neighbor, merely 1.8 kilometers away.
The DMZ serves as a 248-kilometer-long, four-kilometer-wide buffer that acts as the de facto border with North Korea, established after an armistice agreement concluded the Korean War in 1953, meaning theoretically, both Koreas remain at war.
The DMZ Peace Trail project, the island's main attraction, seeks to promote development and prosperity along border regions as well as fortify peace in the DMZ, in line with a 2018 accord between Korean leaders, according to South Korea’s Ministry of Unification.
Visitors to the Trail are greeted by tall fences topped with spiraled barbed wire. A tour guide elaborated on the Korean War’s history, which started on June 25, 1950, and concluded on June 27, 1953, while showcasing plaques honoring the 16 countries that supported South Korea during the conflict.
At the memorial, Korea's national flower, Mugunghwa, symbolizes remembrance for those lost in the war. Meaning "eternal blossom that never fades," Mugunghwa has been a significant emblem of Korean culture for centuries.
A notable trail stop is the Mangbaedan Altar, where separated families conduct ancestral rites and make gestures toward their hometowns, as explained by the docent.
The Daeryong Market on Gyodongdo Island, northwest of Ganghwado, faces North Korea's Yeonbaek-gun County. Established by Korean War refugees, this traditional market has enabled livelihoods for many.
Displaced residents of Gyondong village on Gyodongdo Island have witnessed time standing still for over 70 years, since leaving their North Korean homes. The village, with its traditional tin-roofed houses, resembles a typical South Korean village from the 1970s.
Among the scores of North Koreans unable to return home post-war, Son Yun Gyeong intimately knows the island's history and its people’s plight.
Energetic at 62, Son is the face of Cheongchun Bravo (translated as "youth"), a cultural space in Daeryong Market for displaced seniors from North Korea.
The center offers North Korean-style delicacies like puppy rice cake and dumplings, which evoke memories for elders from Hwanghae-do.
Additional trail features include a peace observatory and a reunification aspiration hall that offer glimpses into North Korean life.
Initially opened in 2019 to mark the first anniversary of the inter-Korean summit of April 27, 2018, foreign visitors were exclusively permitted in 2023, though access remains restricted.
An officer from the Korean National Defense Ministry’s Arms Control and Proliferation Division noted, "Access to foreigners at the DMZ is still limited due to security concerns." International tourists must deposit mobile phones upon entry, and photography is prohibited in several areas.
The Ganghwa Peace Observatory includes a small museum delineating North Korean life with room models mimicking typical North Korean homes. It also offers binocular views into North Korean territory.
Further on the Trail, the "Reunification Aspiration Hall" features a digital tree conveying hopes for family reunification and peaceful unification.
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