Korean War History Tour: DMZ, Seodaemun Museum, War Memorial

The day will start with pickup from your place of lodging. This is a small-group tour with a maximum of 6 passengers so you will ride comfortably in an 11 passenger van instead of being packed in a bus with a large group. 

Once everyone is picked up, you will depart Seoul by 7:30 a.m. You will make the 1-hour trip to Paju where the DMZ is located. 

The first stop inside the DMZ will be Imjingak Park. Imjingak Park is located on the bank of Imjin River. You will visit the Bridge of Freedom. This bridge was a former railroad bridge used to repatriate prisoners of war and soldiers returning from the North. You will also see old war relics and photos at Imjingak Park.

Next, you will take a shuttle that will take you into the Third Infiltration Tunnel. As the name indicates, this tunnel was the third of its kind to be discovered. The Third Tunnel was discovered in 1978 by South Korean forces. It spans over a mile (1,635 meters) in length, 6.5 feet (2 meters) in width, and 6.5 feet (2 meters) in height and is located 32 miles (52 kilometers) from Seoul. It is estimated that approximately 30,000 soldiers could move through the tunnel per hour. 

From there, you will visit nearby Dorasan Station and Observatory. Dorasan Station is the northernmost stop on South Korea's railway line. Dorasan Observatory is the northernmost point of the Military Demarcation Line. You can look over the border into North Korea from the Observatory. 

After the DMZ tour is finished, you will make the 1-hour drive back to Seoul where you will have lunch. Choose from one of the following popular Korean dishes:

• Bibimbap (mixed rice)
• Nangmyeon (cold noodles)
• Kimchi Jjigae (kimchi stew)
• Dongkatsu (pork cutlet)

There will be alternatives available for any dietary restrictions. Please consult your guide. 

After lunch, you will make your way to Seodamun Prison History Museum. The Seodaemun Prison History Hall is a museum and memorial that honors those who suffered and gave up their lives for Korea during the Japanese occupation. The institution was used by the Japanese to house independence and pro-democracy activists. It also represents the suffering of the Korean people as they struggled to archive independence and democracy.

The final stop will be War Memorial. The War Memorial of Korea, located in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, exhibits and preserves materials related to the Korean War and serves as a national moral educational venue. It was established to commemorate the noble sacrifice of patriotic martyrs by the War Memorial Service Korea Society on June 10, 1994. The museum houses approximately 33,000 artifacts with about 10,000 on display at an indoor and outside exhibition halls. 

This concludes your tour. You will be dropped off back at your place of lodging.