Caption Interior Communications Electrician Third Class Paul Chon stands next to a South Korean guard inside Conference Hall. Just outside the door behind them lies North Korea. Photo by: LCDR Terry Sutherland

Panmunjom - or 'Peace Village'. The name by itself means very little, if nothing to most Americans. However, should the term 38th parallel or Demilitarized Zone surface, a whole new meaning is brought to light. Over 75,000 non-Koreans visit Ponmunjom each year to get a first hand look at the history which surrounds this 44 year old border between North and South Korea.

For Interior Communications Electrician Third Class Paul Chon of USS Independence (CV 62) Public Affairs and a resident of Los Angeles, Calif., visiting the DMZ on October 16th was a once in a lifetime experience. Chon was born in South Korea's capital city of Seoul in 1974, and immigrated with his family to Orange County a year later. Had his family remained in Korea, he would not have been allowed to visit the area, much like his relatives still living in Korea today.

As part of the advance team for Independence's port visit to Pusan, South Korea recently, he worked with Lt.. Cmdr. Terry Sutherland, Independence's Public Affairs Officer and the Public Affairs Office at United States Forces Korea (USFK), and was escorted to an area extremely close to the border. This area is called conference row. Chon was able to visit during his two hour tour the same building which houses the Military Armistice Commission (MAC) which hosts meetings between both the North and South Korean leaders. Meetings are often conducted in an unfriendly, rude and often hostile environment; handshakes much less greetings are not exchanged.

Caption Interior Communications Electrician Third Class Paul Chon stands ouside Conference Hall, only 10 feet from the actual line which separates North and South Korea. Photo by: LCDR Terry Sutherland

Inside the building is a conference table, half in South Korea and the other half in North Korea. The table is divided down the middle by cords from the microphone, indicating the border. Both parties do not touch or place paperwork on the opposing side. While the building is divided by the border, and visitors can cross into the North Korean side of the building. Chon was able to cross into this side of the building, allowing him to stand in North Korea, however, he had to exit back through the south.

"I had read in the history books about the importance of this area, but when you are growing up and especially in high school, you don't think much about it," said Chon. "But not until you are actually standing in the DMZ, let alone in North Korea, do you realize how tense the situation is or how important this part of the country is. This experience, unlike any other I have ever had, has opened my eyes to a whole new meaning of what it means to be free. In the U.S., we can travel in and out of our country and do as we please, but here in North Korea, they only know what is told to them, while under the constant thumb of Communism."

After passing several checkpoints en route from Seoul to the DMZ, Chon had visited a building and crossed over a border that many of his ancestors have and will never see. The 4,000 meter wide Demilitarized Zone is the most militarized zone in the entire world as it is mined, has obstacles to foot or vehicle movement, and is constantly under heavy armed patrol. Within this 4,000 meter area are two villages known as Freedom Village in the south and Propaganda Village in the north. Tensions are still high today and that was evident when recently, two rice farmers of the Freedom Village were captured by North Korean guards when they accidentally crossed over an unclear marked line. No shots were fired and the farmers were returned to the United Nations Command Security Force in South Korea.

"What I thought was haunting was looking over into North Korea and seeing Propaganda Village," added Chon. "This village has no residents, but blares music and praises the North Korean leader. They also fly the largest flag in the world which is three football fields in size."

Many influential and famous people have been to the DMZ such as every U.S. President since 1960, Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Britain, Helmut Kohl, the German Chancellor, and Russia's President Boris Yeltzin. For Chon, this experience was an eye opener on the importance of peace and stability in this region and his job as an active member of preserving it in the U.S. Navy.