DMZ and War Museum of South Korea – 2026

The DMZ runs across the entire peninsula from the Yellow Sea to the East Sea and even though it’s called “demilitarized” zone it’s one of the most heavely armed borders in the world. We had to show our passports coming and going.

We were able to see the DMZ as well as the Imjingak Peace Park featuring the Bridge of Freedom and other monuments, as well we walked into 3rd Infiltration Tunnel dug by North Korea (only discovered in 1978) and the Dora Observatory.

Boys and Girls under the age of 17, volunteered to fight, how sad is that? I mean war is sad at any age but that young to want to fight for their country is admirable but still……….

The South Korea/North Korea last 3 years and one month and 6 million lives were lost. It’s often referred to as the Forgotten War as it occured right between WWII and Vietnam and there was no declaration of war. I know for years Canada referred to it as the Korean Conflict. My Dad was regular Army and it was years before they received any medal or recognition.  I believe it was the late 1980’s before they changed the status.

    • If you notice, it says Drinkers Are Not Allowed and yet we got in !
    • They keep this area very beautiful
    • Prayers and thoughts put on the fence
    • View of the DMZ
    • Peace Bridge
    • I’m a sucker for cute statues

    They had this train, a Manghodong-class Japanese colonial-era steam locomotive riddled with over 1,020 bullet holes and bent wheels and they left it there after being bombed and derailed.


    We went to the War Museum of Korea and it was a very well done museum. I’m always learning, I don’t always remember everything, but I like to read about histories of any country or time period.

    • War Museum
    • War Museum
    • Some stats of Countries that lost soldiers and how many
    • They had memorials all down one hallway and Canada was there. The lighting was bad so it’s very difficult to read
    • Display
    • Display
    • Display
    • Mural
    • Display

    Well we finished South Korea pretty quick. Then we had to fly to Osaka, Japan and start our Japan portion of our trip…..

    31 thoughts on “DMZ and War Museum of South Korea – 2026”

    1. Thanks for sharing this! The museum is so interesting as is that tunnel system. How sad that they are a part of war time though. Korea looks like a beautiful country, I have seen photos of North Korea that were sneaked out of the country. It looks so desolate…

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      1. It amazes me how these tunnels get built, such a lot of work and the one we walked down into was just discovered recently, well somewhat recently ! It is a beautiful country and sad that the two sides can’t get together somehow. We should be moving forward in the world but we are moving backwards.

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        1. Yes, I agree. Very sad. Communism kills. Now we have the socialist democrats in my country. these people want to end our form of government completely. Humans never learn from the past, do they.

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    2. I was fascinated by the restrictions and that you had to show ID as well, even though you were with an organized tour group. Yes, I saw the “drinker” part in the restrictions and was thinking maybe it was some type of vessel that people used to tote their water … I wasn’t taking it literally! 🙂 The murals and displays were impressive as was the list of war dead. (I went to see the traveling Vietnam Wall last week – 58,300 killed and the list goes on and on … war is so sad.) That is young for these kids volunteering to sign up. I’ll look forward to your Japan leg of the trip. Hope your weather has improved!

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        1. Well, at least it got warmer but this ever-present rain, or threat of rain has just made a mess of this Summer. It was hot and humid here this morning, dark and gray. Tomorrow is supposed to be better. I was in Washington in 1977 before the Vietnam wall was finished in 1982, so I didn’t see the “real” one. They have two, maybe three traveling Walls. I went to this same one before – it is called “The Wall that Heals” at Young Patriot’s Park.

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        3. I’m sorry to hear that Susan. No, it hasn’t been great Summer weather at all. We’re expecting possible severe weather here tonight. I was wishing it would happen while it was light out. I’m ready to move on to Fall.

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        5. It was really cool here too – so nice to go out and feel refreshed for a change. Autumn is my favorite season too so I hope you have better weather than your Summertime visit. We have very hot weather coming up this week and through the middle of the month they said. Ugh.

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        7. Well you like the outdoors that goes along with camping/RVing etc., the whole nine yards, canoeing with the camera in tow, hiking, biking … but Fall is more comfortable, less bugs and cooler.

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        11. No, I don’t think so either. About three years ago I took a second domain name out for my blog (“Walkin’ and What Not”) because at the rate everything is going with climate change, who knows how often I’ll get out down the road and what will I encounter when I am able to get out? I hope it doesn’t come to that. Walking in the neighborhood is not much fun, nor blogworthy, although I did it the first 18 months of my walking regimen (2011 – 2013). Council Point Park is still raggedy and I’ve got to return again – I don’t have the heart to since most of the “wildlife” is gone, habitats destroyed. I’m going to make an effort to get down there again to see if there are squirrel kits – they are born every July-August. I still have peanuts and seeds I bought last Winter for the squirrels and birds. A lot of my blog used to be about those critters.

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        12. We live in a country subdivision and I don’t really like to walk here because there’s so many people out. You always have to stop and talk to them lol. And it bothers my knees just to stand in one place for any length of time.

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