Tale of the Koreas

The demilitarized zone between the ROK and the DPRK offers not just glimpses of the peninsula's history but also an ecological treasure house. Tracie Barrett reports.

Myeongpa Beach on the eastern coast of the Korean Peninsula is a beautiful sight on a clear morning. A statue of Buddha, with one hand raised in blessing, looks on as waves roll in to break on the white sand, and tourists pose for pictures against the backdrop of Kumgang Mountain.

But look a little closer, and you will find that the beach has barbed-wire fencing that cuts inland just past an observatory, and military personnel watch over visitors. More than 1 million people visit the site each year, according to the Seoul-based Korean Tourism Organization.