Photos - Kaesong, the DMZ, Mt. Kuwol and the West Sea Barrage
The trip to Kaesong and the DMZ was one of the highlights of our 2004 North Korea tour. In Kaesong we could see a bid more of ordinary North Korean life then we did in Pyongyang. The Demilitarized Zone with the Joint Security Area is probably one of the scariest places on earth where millions of troops face each other. We had stopovers at Mt. Kuwol and the West Sea Barrage on the way back to Pyongyang.
The car ride from Pyongyang to Kaesong was a very interesting experience, passing many army checkpoints, civilians walking large distances and soldiers being transported in trucks. We were not allowed to make any photos except at the Sohung Rest house, a restaurant build over the road. Kaesong was interesting as it gave a better impression of North Korean life then Pyongyang, although the inhabitants are probably privileged to live there as well. We were allowed to shoot many pictures at the DMZ where the American and South Korean soldiers did not show their face, probably avoiding to be photographed. From Kaesong we drove to Mt. Kuwol, where we passed small villages and saw soldiers working the land. We also saw a group of Special Forces soldiers but none of this could be photographed. The locks of the West Sea Barrage were closed and hundreds of people were waiting on their bicycle with a sack of UN rice, again no pictures like in Nampho the last big city before Pyongyang. The last interesting part of this excursion was the 10 lane highway between Nampho and Pyongyang that is only used by people walking and riding bicycles.
Kaesong - Map North Korea
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North Korea
Kaesong
13-Sep-2004
Map of the journey from Pyongyang to Kaesong via the motorway
Panmunjom - Sohung rest house
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North Korea
Panmunjom
10-Sep-2004
Sohung rest house on the motorway from Pyongyang to Kaesong
Panmunjom - Sohung rest house
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North Korea
Panmunjom
10-Sep-2004
Sohung rest house on the motorway from Pyongyang to Kaesong
Kaesong - Folklore hotel
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North Korea
Kaesong
10-Sep-2004
Stream on the terrain of the traditional Folklore Hotel in Kaesong
Kaesong - Folklore hotel
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Kaesong
10-Sep-2004
Traditional Korean house used as Hotel room at the Folklore Hotel
Kaesong - Folklore hotel
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North Korea
Kaesong
10-Sep-2004
Traditional Korean house used as Hotel room at the Folklore Hotel
Kaesong - Folklore hotel
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North Korea
Kaesong
10-Sep-2004
Playing pool in the recreation area of the Folklore Hotel
Kaesong - Folklore hotel
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North Korea
Kaesong
10-Sep-2004
Korean dinner eaten of the floor of the Folklore Hotel restaurant
Kaesong - Folklore hotel
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North Korea
Kaesong
10-Sep-2004
Enjoying a drink in our room of the Folklore Hotel in Kaesong
Kaesong - Folklore hotel
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North Korea
Kaesong
10-Sep-2004
Traditional Korean bed in the Folklore Hotel of Kaesong
Kaesong - Traditional Korean art
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North Korea
Kaesong
10-Sep-2004
Traditional Korean art in the Folklore Hotel Restaurant in Kaesong
Kaesong - Kaesong main square
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North Korea
Kaesong
10-Sep-2004
The main square in Kaesong with a Police Woman arranging traffic
Kaesong - Kaesong main street
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North Korea
Kaesong
10-Sep-2004
The main street of Kaesong were most locals walk or cycle
Kaesong - Kaesong police agent
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Kaesong
10-Sep-2004
Crossroad with police agent arranging traffic in Kaesong
Kaesong - Kaesong town
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Kaesong
10-Sep-2004
View on the Kaesong city centre from a park on Janam San hill
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The second destination we visited during our 2004 North Korea journey was Kaesong a historic Korean city very close to the DMZ
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