Seoul and DMZ North Korea

FuronoFurono Registered Users Posts: 119 Major grins
edited December 24, 2007 in Location, Location, Location!
Going to Seoul and the full tour of the border to North Korea next week. Anyone know if I can get pictures of North Korea? I read they don't allow many pictures unless it's in approved spots. I heard you can see North Korean tourists on the other side when you visit Panmunjon. Would love to get a picture of that!

I'm trying to get around while I'm living in Japan since everything in East Asia is so close.

Feburary I'm going to Guam since I missed it this year while in Siapan.

My daughter is a little older now so getting pictures should be a tad easyer, we will see...

Any info will be appreciated. Thanx.

Steve
Steve Nelson
Tour Leader - DPRK
Uri Tours
SmugMug - photos.japanphotos.jp

Comments

  • schmooschmoo Registered Users Posts: 8,468 Major grins
    edited December 20, 2007
    Hi Steve,

    You have no idea how envious I am of your trip! I did a fair amount of research some time back about touring NK but as a (Korean-)American, it's impossible for me. If you do some search on the web, there are a lot of stories of the photography regulations of such tours, that they do limit where and what you photograph and even limit what you can and cannot see.

    Of course, having never been there myself I cannot say. The fascination I have for such a closed, protected country is sometimes quite unhealthy. I think, however, the tour you can have at the DMZ is different from the ones that I was looking into, where you sign up for a 1-2 week group stay with personal drivers and assigned guides. These trips go to Pyongyang and other "acceptable" areas.

    I recently (as little as 6 months ago) learned that had some very well-timed coincidences not occurred in my family history, I would have been one of the people locked behind the lines. That is particularly scary for me because I'm sure that would have meant I'd never have discovered photography and Dgrin lol3.gif

    Sorry for the ramble. I hope you have a wonderful trip and get to explore all the exotic and sometimes off-limits corners of the world! And if you have pictures to show, please share them! thumb.gif
    SmugMug Editor / News Flash!
    Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
  • TPBinKCTPBinKC Registered Users Posts: 194 Major grins
    edited December 24, 2007
    Furono wrote:
    Going to Seoul and the full tour of the border to North Korea next week. Anyone know if I can get pictures of North Korea? I read they don't allow many pictures unless it's in approved spots. I heard you can see North Korean tourists on the other side when you visit Panmunjon. Would love to get a picture of that!

    Steve

    It has been awhile but when I went to the DMZ on a tour, I was able to take pictures into North Korea. You can see the "Peace Village" or Propaganda Village and get shots of that with a decent size lens. I saw North Korean, Russian, and Chinese vistors on the other side of the lines and I do remember taking photos of the North Korean gaurds. I think it really ticked them off when we did also, but they always looked mad.

    There were (if I remember correctly) lots of interesting architecture there and nearby. One tour I did was to a temple/castle that had hundreds of stone soldiers around it. All of the heads were cutoff during WWII. I do not remember if it was the same day or not so I am not sure how close it was to Panmujon.

    Look for shots of kimchi pots. Will be a good location setting and interesting photo. Try some as well if you have not already. Bulgogi and mandu (sp) are still some of my favorite foods.

    Sorry, that is more than you asked for...

    Thad
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