Our bus passed the DMZ Fence (37°56'5.29"N and 126°43'16.13"E). I was tensed to see it with my naked eyes. The Fence line runs approximately 2 km south of the MDL (Military Demarcation Line). This Fence is a symbol of the only divided country in the world. The DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) and CCA (Civilian Controlled Area) are where armed forces defend along the Fence. Our bus was in the DMZ.
Our bus was heading for Panmunjom in the DMZ. The guide told us that the area you could see now was a mine field. The mines were disigned for humans, but never kill people. They injure human legs. Her guidance was an awful story.
On the other hand, DMZ has been away from civilized society for more than fifty years and so it has been preserved as an untouched area of nature. Many precious creatures are thought to remain here. It applies to ancient ruins as well. Lots of important remains are also considered to be under the ground. Korean ancient ruins in the northern area are invaded by China now. I hope the Korean people could find, at the very least, complete valuable ruins here. Kaesong City (開城市) is near here and used to be a capital city of the Goryeo dynasty (高麗王朝). The theory that several magnificent ruins might be sleeping under the ground is acceptable, I think.
By the way, I found an incredible thing through the window. What do you think it is? It was a wide rice field on a bleak plain. Who on earth would cultivate here, in such a dangerous place? I asked the guide and she replied cheerfully and promptly. She looked like she had been waiting for that question. It might become long so I'm going to write in the next entry.
(Vocabulary)
at the very least せめて
vast expanse of bleak plain 涼とした原野
Comments