The Korean Demilitarized Zone is an important landmark in the country. It has been used since the 1950s as the buffer zone across the peninsula – between North and South Korea.
The DMZ is the world’s most heavily militarized border. It cuts the Korean Peninsula in half. It is not only heavily armed but also quite huge. Its length is about 160 miles or 250 kilometers. It also has a width of about 2.5 miles or 4 kilometers.
A Quick Glimpse at History
The DMZ was built to provide a division between the Soviet-occupied and United States-occupied areas of Korea; Construction was made after the Second World War. It cuts the country’s isthmus, separating the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or North Korea from the Republic of Korea or South Korea. In 1948, the DMZ became the de facto border recognized internationally. It has also been one of the most tensed fronts during the Cold War.
Over the years, the DMZ has been the location of saber rattling between the North and South Korea. A couple of violent incidents that has been recorded through the years can attest to that.
The Villages, The Park
Today, peace villages on either side of DMZ are quite remarkable. Both Koreas maintain a couple of buildings as well as apartments where villagers dwell.
Since it has been quite a deadly place for humans, a park was accidentally created along the length of DMZ. It is currently recognized as one of the most preserved habitat in the world. Endangered plants and animals thrive in the reserve. The Amur Leopard, the Red-Crowned Crane, the White-Naped Crane, the Korean Tiger, and the Asiatic Black Bear all call the fortified park their home. Aside from those rare and endangered species of animals, ecologists have also recorded the existence of about 2,900 different species of plants, 320 species of birds, and 70 species of mammals.
The DMZ is a perfect thriving place for an active ecosystem. Its geography is peppered with mountains, swamps, prairies, lakes, and marshes. Ted Turner of CNN, a known media mogul and founder of the biggest networks in the world, agreed to finance a move to make DMZ a peace park and a UN World Heritage Site. That’s how much he fell in love with the place when he visited it in 2005.
There are many interesting things about DMZ. It is not solely about how long it is but how rich it is in tales of both violent incidents and varied biodiversity.