Map of the Joint Security Area (JSA).
Freedom House.
(Photo courtesy of Emerald Anne Jorda)
This new structure was built in 1998 to replace the old Freedom House Pagoda (see below) during the period of the Sunshine Diplomacy under the presidency of Kim Dae Jung. The new Freedom House was supposed to be a venue for long lost relatives from the North and South Korea to meet. According to Sergeant Juarez, our military guide, the building was never used for that purpose.
This new structure was built in 1998 to replace the old Freedom House Pagoda (see below) during the period of the Sunshine Diplomacy under the presidency of Kim Dae Jung. The new Freedom House was supposed to be a venue for long lost relatives from the North and South Korea to meet. According to Sergeant Juarez, our military guide, the building was never used for that purpose.
The old Freedom House Pagoda circa 1976.
Panmungak Pavilion.
Fronting the Freedom House is the North Koreans' Panmungak Pavilion. Upon our arrival, we spotted a couple of North Korean soldiers just outside the doors of the Panmungak Pavilion with binoculars observing us. The mere presence of those soldiers reminded us that this trip was not a picnic.
Press Building, the Sunken Garden and the Soviet Defector Incident.
(Photo courtesy of Emerald Anne Jorda)
On November 23, 1984, during a North Korean tour, Soviet Russian citizen Vasily Matusak suddenly dashed into South Korea territory. Scores of Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers pursued him, their weapons firing. The Joint Security Force under the UN Command led by Captain Bert Mizusawa, seeking to safeguard Matusak, engaged the KPA in a 40-minute firefight and eventually outmaneuvered their counterparts. A negotiated ceasefire later enabled the trapped KPA elements to withdraw. Gunshots were heard in the general direction of North Korea approximately 20 minutes after the ceasefire, fueling speculation that the KPA commander on duty at the time and one of his key subordinates were summarily executed.
On November 23, 1984, during a North Korean tour, Soviet Russian citizen Vasily Matusak suddenly dashed into South Korea territory. Scores of Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers pursued him, their weapons firing. The Joint Security Force under the UN Command led by Captain Bert Mizusawa, seeking to safeguard Matusak, engaged the KPA in a 40-minute firefight and eventually outmaneuvered their counterparts. A negotiated ceasefire later enabled the trapped KPA elements to withdraw. Gunshots were heard in the general direction of North Korea approximately 20 minutes after the ceasefire, fueling speculation that the KPA commander on duty at the time and one of his key subordinates were summarily executed.
The entire CUK Filipino students/GEO Teaching Assistants with CUK Professors Emely Abagat (ninth from left, front row), Victoria Jo (tenth from left, front row), Benedict Dedominicis (Second from left, back row), and personnel from the Philippine Embassy to South Korea.
(Photo courtesy of Emerald Anne Jorda)
The trip was organized by Professor Abagat of CUK, with the endorsement of Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Luis Cruz and was made possible through the efforts of Colonel Martin N. Pinto, who is jointly the Philippines' Defense and Armed Forces Attache (DAFA) to South Korea and head of the Philippine Liaison Group to the United Nations Command.
The Military Armistice Commission (MAC) Conference Room is the site of General-level talks between senior members of the United Nations Command and the Korean People's Army. The Military Line of Demarcation that separates North Korea from South Korea, literally, runs through the middle of the conference table horizontally. Thus, this shot was actually taken inside North Korean territory. Sergeant Juarez is explaining to us the rules of behavior inside the MAC Conference Room. Beside him is a tough-looking South Korean soldier working in tandem with another South Korean soldier. Both South Korean soldiers are tasked to secure the said room.
This door leads to North Korea. Absolutely no one crosses that line.
CUK Professor Benedict Dedominicis is standing beside a South Korean soldier task to do whatever is necessary to prevent anyone from literally passing by him. Behind him is a door that opens into North Korean territory. Actually, Professor Dedominicis and the South Korean soldier are already standing on North Korean territory. According to Sergeant Juarez, he has seen South Korean soldiers assigned to this post actually inflict violence on old people, women, children and who have wittingly or unwittingly cross the line where he is standing. Soldiers assigned to this post are martial arts experts, in the true sense of the word.
UN Command Joint Duty Office and the "Monkey Room".
The blue structure is the UN Command Joint Duty Office, housing the
Joint Duty Officer (JDO). The JDO serves as a
liaison to the Military Armistice Commission (MAC) seniors of both sides. As MAC offices for both the North (in Kaesong) and the South (in Seoul) are located outside of the JSA, the JDOs from both sides meet to pass communications from their respective senior members to the other side. They gray structure beside the JDO is the "KPA Recreation Room." However, it is said that there are no recreation facilities in the said room. It has often been used by the KPA to make rude and threatening gestures to towards UNC personnel at the JDO. The UNC personnel have called this structure the "Monkey Room" as a result of the KPA antics.
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