South Korea, June 2005

In June 2005, I presented my work at a big international microsystems conference in Seoul, Korea and gave a talk at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). I jumped at the chance to travel the nation after these events.

Seoul

The bustling 10-million-city is the economical and cultural center of modern Korea. The city offers all day, all week entertainment, especially shopping which seems to be very popular among the Koreans.

Suwon

Suwon is located about one hour driving distance south of Seoul. The outstanding attraction here is the impressive Hwaseong Fortress which was built in 1796 and is an UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site today. The fortress wall is about 5.7 km (3.5 miles) long.

Panmunjeom

The trip the Panmunjeom was not a do-it-yourself journey. Access was only granted in groups under the supervision of an U.S. Army officer. Panmunjeom lies in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea. This small village was established directly on the ceasefire line at the end of the Korean War in 1953. Coming from Seoul by a coach run by the United Service Organization (USO) I first arrived at Camp Bonifas on the south side of the DMZ. Right after I got there I had to sign a document absolving the UN of responsibility in case of any injuries due to 'enemy action' while on the tour inside the DMZ... A UN coach then transferred the visitors to the Joint Security Area (JSA) in the center of the DMZ on the border line between North and South Korea. Here, we were shown the well-known blue UN buildings on the ceasefire line. The buildings are still used for peace discussions today. Tension is still palpable in Panmunjeom. The last gun shots in the DMZ have been fired as recently as in July 2003.

Gyeongju

Gyeongju is located in the south of the country and represents the historic cultural hub. In 57 BC the city became the capital of the powerful Silla dynasty, and it remained so for nearly 1000 years. The Gyeongju region is full of cultural relicts of that time (tombs, temples, palaces,...). Many of these assets have been restored since they were damaged during Japanese occupations.

Busan

Busan is the bustling economical hub in the south of the country. It's home of the fourth-busiest container port in the world. Many people here live in one way or the other from the shipping industry.