Talk:Panmunjeom

Confusing Page

The experience of visiting Panmunjeom is completely different when done from the South or the North. I find mixing the two really confusing. I propose breaking the page into two separate sections. Comments? --Andrewssi2 (talk) 10:21, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

Picture Of North Korean Soldier

I'd like to add this image to the article, as it's an iconic and memorable sight in the DMZ:

http://jpatokal.iki.fi/photo/travel/Korea/Panmunjeom/Soldier_South_Closeup.JPG

The catch is that under a strict interpretation of Project:Privacy rights this isn't allowed, because I don't have a model release. However, it's not possible to obtain a model release — you're explicitly allowed to photograph the guards, but you're equally explicitly not allowed to talk to them. The guards all look identical and unidentifiable behind their huge shades (which is of course very much the intention) and I note that Lonely Planet also has pics with South Koreans standing guard and North Koreans goose-stepping around.

Opinions? (WT-en) Jpatokal 22:16, 8 Dec 2005 (EST)

Bump. I really think this article is missing out without these pics. (WT-en) Jpatokal 22:52, 26 March 2006 (EST)

The problem is that to anyone who knows this guy, he is recognizable in this photo. Hypothetically, his girlfriend thinks he joined the Peace Corps and doesn't know he's actually guarding the DMZ, but then his photo shows up on a pamphlet at the tourist info office in Seoul.... I'd be more comfortable using the from-the-back photo from your web site, which has the added benefit of also showing a little bit about the place. - (WT-en) Todd VerBeek 10:00, 28 April 2006 (EDT)

Reluctantly, I agree with Todd. It'd be nice to show that close-up, but the exception to the model-release policy is easier to justify if you can't see the face. -- (WT-en) Bill-on-the-Hill 22:12, 3 May 2006 (EDT)

Very entertaining article! 71.97.74.56 11:01, 14 December 2006 (EST)

Disputed?

Sir/Madam 70.188.247.141, what part of the article do you wish to dispute? (WT-en) Jpatokal 23:17, 14 Dec 2005 (EST)

Regarding dress code

"From the South, a strict dress code applies for all visitors, particularly in the JSA: for men, collared shirts and long trousers are mandatory, while T-shirts, sleeveless shirts, short skirts and such are out. The purpose is twofold: one to make sure you don't end up on a North Korean propaganda poster, and the other to to make sure you can run if somebody starts shooting."

How does having a strict dress code help in either of those cases? - WhisperToMe

Damned if I know, but that's what I was told. (WT-en) Jpatokal 02:23, 22 Dec 2005 (EST)

I guess if the tourists all look like file clerks, Pyongyang can't use them as examples of capitalist deviance and depravity. The run-for-safety reason would make more sense if it involved a ban on high heels, or the sagging trousers that are (bafflingly) popular among the hip-hop crowd in the States. {shrug} - (WT-en) Todd VerBeek 10:00, 28 April 2006 (EDT)

Location

Is Panmunjeom closer to Kijong (about an inch) than Taesong (about four inches or so away)? -- (WT-en) Sapphire • (Talk) • 21:02, 7 March 2007 (EST)

Yes, I think so. Taesong-dong is not visible from the JSA, but Kijong-dong is. (Then again, Taesong-dong doesn't have highrise apartment blocks or one of the world's tallest flagpoles.) (WT-en) Jpatokal 12:32, 8 March 2007 (EST)

So called NPOV

Under DMZ and JSA there is a reference to the "pompous propaganda palace" the north has on the demarcation line. Well no fan of communism this seems like a clear NPOV problem, I'm going to delete it.74.120.34.172 02:05, 25 March 2007 (EDT)

We don't have a NPOV policy! We prefer calling a spade a spade. -- (WT-en) Sapphire • (Talk) • 02:12, 25 March 2007 (EDT)

...and if you read to the next line, the South also has a "pompous propaganda palace". Which, really, is the only possible way to describe these — they serve no point except to show the other side that "I am capable of constructing a large building". (WT-en) Jpatokal 03:06, 25 March 2007 (EDT)

Lenses

I went on the tour yesterday, and when we were exiting the blue conference room, the Korean officer started talking to our tour guide and pointing at me. I was asked how long my lens was, and when I told them that it's 300mm, was told to stop taking pictures. Everybody was told that lenses of up to 90mm were permitted, so I switched to an 85mm when we got back to the bus.

Interesting. I took a 70-300mm zoom along the last time and even asked the tour guide, and she said it was OK, but tripods aren't. (Said lens even almost caused an International Incident, when I left it on a table for a second when changing lenses in the conference room. Eek!) Then again, this isn't going to stand out in a crowd... but alas, at f/4-5.6G, it's useless without a tripod when zoomed out. (WT-en) Jpatokal 10:13, 7 May 2008 (EDT)

Oh cool, people respond! Yeah, mine was a 70-300mm as well (with IS, but not the white L one). I think what gave me away was the hood that added another 15 cm to the size of the lens. I'm surprised you could bring a lens to change. I specifically asked our tour guide if I can bring a small pouch with an extra lens with me, and she said that people aren't allowed anything in their hands or on them, other than a single camera. Hehe, I wonder if it's after your incident that people aren't allowed a change of lens anymore :)

I suspect the interpretation of the guidelines also depends on your tour operator. Eg. the USO site doesn't mention anything about photographic equipment. (WT-en) Jpatokal 05:32, 11 May 2008 (EDT)

Y Redirect from the DMZ?

Why has this been redirected from the DMZ? Other tourist attractions such as Imjingak, Cheorwon, the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel, etc. are all surrounding the DMZ. The DMZ and its surrounding attractions are the main focus of people's interest not Panmunjeon. Why not put DMZ as the main article?(WT-en) Paula 04:08, 10 February 2009 (EST)

The other sites are not in the DMZ itself. (Geographically speaking, they probably shouldn't be in the "Panmunjeom" article at all, but since they're usually advertised as DMZ tours, this seems the best place.)

Also, the DMZ is a large region of territory, while Panmunjeom is a single destination. There are "DMZ-themed" tourist attractions all along the line (2nd and 4th tunnel, Uiji and Kosong observatories) etc that are quite distant from Seoul. Maybe it would make sense to create a DMZ travel topic, and link that to all the sites...?

Other than Panmunjeom and the JSA nothing's in the DMZ. But they are all related to it. That's my point bout Panmunjeom. If we have an article about it, shouldn't we have an article about the JSA and all the other points of interest of the DMZ area? But then there's just too little information to make an article on each one. I think it would make more sense to title it DMZ and link it to the other places.(WT-en) Paula 04:21, 11 February 2009 (EST)

BTW, I've changed DMZ into a disambiguation page, since there's another well-known DMZ in Vietnam at DMZ (Vietnam). (WT-en) Jpatokal 09:26, 10 February 2009 (EST)

Warning box

This warning box is totally hysterical. There hasn't been a shot fired near Panmunjeom since a defection incident in 1984. If there's any real risk of war, the tours will be suspended, and they haven't been. (WT-en) Jpatokal 06:23, 25 March 2009 (EDT)

Thought so, but wasn't quite sure about removing it, so i just added the supposed launch dates. Well, i'll go to the DMZ tomorrow, hope the UN won't arrest me for wearing the wrong clothes... As far as i've read the North doesn't require any special dress code. Hmm, very democratic indeed *lol* ;-) 22:17, 26 March 2009

I'll tell you what -I almost lost my shit going into Panmunjeom from the North. Getting death stares and bayonet/ gunshot finger signals from my second "guide" and the top brass himself. No shit, I don't know what the fuck I'd done to have them tripping but EVERY guard was checking me out. At the time I thought I was being paranoid, but everyone else on the tour (and who were staying the fuck away from me during the tour) all agreed they had me in their sights. What a terrible trip I had in the North. 119.161.71.12 07:37, 14 October 2011 (EDT)

This is a potentially dangerous place. Warning doesn't seem hysterical to me. --Andrewssi2 (talk) 10:19, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

Explore Nort* Kore*?

Why is explore*orth*orea dot com in the spam filter? 203.161.145.1 22:19, 4 April 2011 (EDT)

Create separate DMZ article?

Presently the whole DMZ for South Korea is contained within the article for Panmunjeon. To be fair, Panmunjeon is the most important and obvious destination for DMZ tourists, however the DMZ itself extends across the peninsular from the Yellow Sea to the East Sea (Sea of Japan).

There are also a lot of potential places to visit and activities to do in the DMZ area without having to visit Panmunjeon. Would anyone have any objection for me to create a DMZ article with the National Park template? This would not result in any significant changes to the Panmunjeon article itself. --Andrewssi2 (talk) 00:55, 19 October 2013 (UTC)

I am trying out DMZ_(Korea) --Andrewssi2 (talk) 10:44, 19 October 2013 (UTC)

Kijong-dong

Kijong-dong is a village near Panmunjeom controlled by North Korea and apparently 'fake' according to many sources. I saw this except from a new book claiming the same and thought it interesting.

http://boingboing.net/2014/07/08/north-koreas-creepy-fake-civ.html

Travelers can't actually visit this place either from North or South, so I haven't added it to the article. Andrewssi2 (talk) 13:34, 11 July 2014 (UTC)