Korea DMZ magazine The Demilitarised Zone between North & South Korea by Damian Bird A Taekwando stance known as “ROK ready” is being taken by these S. Korean soldiers who are standing on N.Korean soil, with the doorway to N. Korea behind them. With the nuclear armouries of the USA and North Korea  continually poised to retaliate, guarding the physical line between North and South Korea can feel a little tedious and uneventful. US tanks exercising just outside the DMZ in South Korea. US soldier training to repel a ground invasion fron North Korea. If you walked across this bridge you would be defecting from the affluent South to the grinding poverty of North Korea. In and around the DMZ the North Koreans play loud speaker propaganda messages all night, promising any defectors a better life: a “utopian dream” world to live in. There have been a few instances of South Koreans being taken in by these messages and defecting from South to North Korea although (for obvious reasons) the defection is usually the other way! US soldiers watch the demarcation line between the two Koreas at all times. This is ‘Propaganda Village’, in reality a ghost town; an illusion built by the North Korean’s to tempt and seduce South Koreans to defect. If anyone were to turn up there though they would simply be met by a low budget film-set with no real living facilities what so ever. North Korean guard standing to attention outside Official building, just a few metres from the demarkation line between North and South Korea. The North Korean guards are fed extra rations to appear to the outside world to be fit, strong and healthy. Additionally both the South and the North Korean soldiers that guard the line are chosen for their large, strong stature as a deliberate show of strength. Much of the fighting in the Korean war was trench warefare, and is now a staple of standard US military training in the region. Training, training and more training keeps the US troops busy and ready for action on their Korean tours. Still no action in the DMZ! There are plenty of fences to get through between North and South Korea. If you’re planning to defect, pack your wire clippers! Staying occupied between the patrols. Getting a tank’s main cannon ready and accurate. This is a ROK (Republic of Korea) South Korean Soldier standing guard on the demarkation Line. One can see the reflection of the North Korean building in the window. The grey Concrete line in the middle of these two blue buildings that looks like an angular speed bump, is infact the demarcation line between North and South Korea.  “FIRST TO FIGHT, SECOND TO NONE!” is shouted between US servicemen, serving in Korea, as a morale boosting affirmation. And time off may be spent at the Monestary club, where believe it or not, all members dress up in brown monks’ habits to relax and unwind. US Military life in Korea is full of traditions and rituals that may seem bizarre to the outside world, but help with team building and a sense of ‘home from home’. There is a 50 CAL. machine gun on the top of this AbramsTank. They promised me the safety catch was on! The Tanks are constantly involved in live fire exercises near the edge of the DMZ. These 70 tonne tanks have the acceleration of a familly car and incredible agility for their size. This is the view from the top of the South Korean building that mirrors the North Korean building opposite. One can see clealy the thin grey  demarkation line between North and South Korea. We can also see South Korean soldiers watching the North and feeling lucky! South Korean troops on patrol near the border. Accuracy is never left unchecked where live firing tank canons is concerned. South Korean guard in ROK-ready position - a Taekwando stance that is associated with being powerful and in charge.  A tiring pastime as guards are expected to remain in this position for many hours. It is considered, by guards, to be a muscle building work-out. This is a 1950s US tank from the original Korean war. It is worthy of note that Korea exists in a state of cease-fire and that the war in the 1950 has never ended.  This tank has therefore never left the battle-field.