James Simrell Mixed Martial Arts

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General Choi Hong Hi, Founder of Korean Art of Tae Kwon Do -D $29.95 The Founder Of Korean Art of Tae Kwon Do General Choi Hong Hi. The founder of Tae Kwon Do is featured in this comprehensive documentary done shortly before his passing. He talks in length about his youth, his vision for the future of Tae Kwon Do, and how, where and when it all started. No more rumours hear it from the General himself a man of extreme integrity and honor. He also will show yo...

A Killing Art: The Untold History of Tae Kwon Do $7.41 Obscure documents, Korean-language books, and in-depth interviews with tae kwon do pioneers tell the tale of the origin of the most popular martial art. In 1938, tae kwon do began at the end of a poker game in a tiny village in a remote corner of what is now North Korea by Choi Hong-Hi, who began the martial art, and his nemesis, Kim Un-Yong, who developed the Olympic style and became one of the m...

Tae Kwon Do Basics, Techniques and Forms: The Indomitable Martial Art of Korea $18.04 Straight from a martial arts grandmaster, this manual on tae kwon do gives comprehensive physical and mental guidance for belt levels from white through black. Detailed color photographs reveal the intricacies of each position, offering coverage of essential hand and foot techniques, blocks, and strikes. For competitors, there are complete listings of both Olympic rules and World Tae Kwon Do Fede...

Complete Taekwondo Poomsae: The Official Taegeuk, Palgwae and Black Belt Forms of Taekwondo $26.46 Complete Taekwondo Poomsae is the most complete reference book available on the Taegeuk, Palgwae and Black Belt Poomsae of WTF style Taekwondo. Grandmasters Kyu Hung Lee and Sang H. Kim have combined their extensive taekwondo knowledge to teach you not only the 25 official taekwondo poomsae, but the meaning of the forms, the principles of Poomsae performance and the philosophy that underlies the t...

Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) - Most of the heavily fortified border on the Planet

DMZ is the most heavily fortified border the world, with more than one million soldiers on both sides willing to pull the triggers to each other in a matter of hours. For anyone who plans be in South Korea for business or pleasure, this place is not to be missed.

All of these relate to a point on the Korean peninsula very few would be designed to visit. Why? Because the DMZ is the world's most heavily fortified border, with more than a million soldiers on both sides willing to pull the triggers to each other in a matter of hours. The greatest concentration of firepower along this area lies in what is expected be the last remnants of the Cold War War. Now who in their right mind would want to visit an area more than 50 Americans, 1,000 South Koreans and countless North Koreans have died in clashes in the past 40 years and is still dotted with land mines, barbed wire and concrete bunkers in the tank? Surprisingly, many of us. Therefore, if you are looking for some action, then this is definitely the place for you.

The DMZ is not a simple historical site where you can casually browse around what once was. Rather, it is a mixture of what was, what is and what is to come. Along the DMZ are places where the North and South have clashed in the past, while at the same time, there could be clashes at any time. But that's where the excitement True to visit a place like this is. You know immediately that you are not in a museum when you are asked to fill out authorization forms, informing him that his visit "Will the entry into hostile area and possibility of injury of death as a direct result of enemy action." Each year, about 180,000 tourists are transported from Seoul to spend a day in the fresh air and open spaces of the last remnants of the Cold War. For anyone who plans to in South Korea for business or pleasure, this place is not to be missed? is one of the strangest and most fascinating places that can get in a tour bus. Sounds fun right? Well, if you're up to the danger, and I think is a good day, then the DMZ is a welcome escape from the boring life at coat most of us carry.

Panmunjeom

At the heart of the demilitarized zone an hour and a half by bus north of Seoul is Panmunjeom or Joint Security Area. Panmunjeom is the "truce village" where the armistice was signed in 1953, ending the Korean War and the division of the peninsula into North and South. Since then he has been the scene of dialogue-and-off between the South and free the communist North. Almost all tourists who come here are foreigners, because the South Koreans need special government permission to visit Panmunjeom. Most visitors are American, including some who fought in the Korean War, their families, history buffs or just hiking in Asia backpackers looking for a bit contradictory tourism.

FREEDOM WAY

As soon as his tour bus leaves Seoul, beginning at the idea that things are a little different here. "Freedom Road (Jayooro)," the only way of Panmunjeom, is a major divided highway is about 12 lanes through some places. The middle belt is huge and flat, perfect for a wave of tanks and artillery to the north to repel an invasion. What kind of weird to structures in almost all the hills? Yes, those are the machine gun emplacements. And so are the piles of sandbags in the middle strip. The road runs along the banks of the river Imjingang, which is lined with a continuous eight-foot fence covered in barbed wire and dotted with hundreds of military checkpoints, all managed by a lone soldier. The river itself is full of peaks and networks and other obstacles to prevent North Korean troops or vessels from coming south. Large illuminated signs bearing the letter of Korea against to the North Korean side of the river, touting "freedom" and "Democracy." And sometimes on the road, you can hear the propaganda from both sides of the speakers at your side or off in the distance.

Camp Bonilla On arrival, the bus passes through a series of checkpoints, which are separated by fences and barricades that bus must weave in and out. Upon entering the Joint Security Area, visitors encounter large banners and posters with clear and concise expression of the situation, "In front of them all." The first stop is Camp Bonilla, a small collection of buildings surrounded by coils of barbed wire triple only 440 meters south of the demilitarized zone. If not for the land minds and soldiers, the place might look like a big camp of Boy Scouts. About 5000 U.S. and South Korean soldiers Bonilla and others living in bases near Panmunjeom. After unloading the bus, everyone was escorted to Ballinger Hall, where he held a briefing and slide show set the dos and don'ts of the area. Then everyone rushed to the ACC bus to start on the dangerous expedition.

LA FRONTERA

From that moment, tourists in the DMZ are under constant surveillance by UN troops. Keep tourists away from authorized areas, but mostly they are there to protect visitors from enemy attack. They also make tourists take pictures only in places allowed, since almost all the pictures here is prohibited. First along the road is the infamous hole golf course, which Sports Illustrated named, "one gold fields of the world more dangerous. "Here's the place where everything is done. On each side of the border is a large visitors center three floors. Steps Blue structures are up to four single-story, crossing the border and is designated as a meeting place for officials from both sides. On the South side, standing attired Decorative the South Korean soldiers also wore sunglasses. They stand on the corners of the building blue half outlined in the so-called Republic of Korea (Republic of Korea) position, a semi-Taekwondo. His appearance is meant to intimidate the North and why they are exposed to the environment is having coverage in the event of an attack. Looking across the way, visitors will see a lone North Korean soldier stood in the door "Panmungak," the center North Korean visitors opposite the South. Rarely moves, only to see once in a while the tourists through a pair of binoculars. The only visible soldier another is the officer sitting next to a window inside the building. He is responsible for alerting the entire battalion of soldiers waiting outside the building in case of emergency. A along the border in both directions, are the guard towers every 100 meters, which do the same. There is an atmosphere of high tension created by the military presence and severity local staff. However, there are times when one can not escape the temptation to find some humor in the whole situation. Tourists are warned not to make eye contact and gestures of any kind. If a tourist greeted a group of North Korean soldiers could take a picture that could easily end up in a publication of the propaganda Stalinist with a title like "deserter called a patriot glorious Korean People's Army to save it from imperialist oppression." Nobody takes too seriously, but is against the rules to wave and point. This is not London, where everyone tries to make the palace guards are moved using any means necessary. The trick is to keep a poker face, without blinking, without smiling, without blinking an obscene gesture quickly, it will not squint to see if you can break your stone cold eyes. Simply do not. God forbid a movement of peace and safety of a tourist cause an outbreak of the war.

While waiting for the tourists is a treatment even bigger as they are escorted into one of the blue buildings. Here, find sound booths at both ends with a long conference table in the center of the room. Along the center of the table is a thick wire that leads to a microphone is monitored 24 hours a day by both sides, so be careful what they say. This means cable the international border between North and South and tourism are allowed to cross the border into these buildings. So not only can see the north, have the opportunity be in it.

CHECKPOINT 3 AND THE BRIDGE OF NO RETURN

After the meeting about with the North, the bus travels along a dusty road Gate 3. At the top of a hill, this seemingly plain shack is a favorite place where one can see clearly North Korea itself. Kaesong, a major city in the north, is visible on a clear day, with the flagpole in North Korea that extends way competition the flagpole in the South. This place is quiet and calm and seems almost too quiet to be so dangerous. In the bottom of the hill is the bridge of no return, rightly called because when you cross, there is little chance that you can go back in one piece. You can walk about half way through until you reach the line of demarcation where a UN soldier is to keep going further. After that, it's back to Ballinger Hall, where, after a little souvenir shopping, bus expected to return to Seoul.

The DMZ provides a breath of fresh air and a little excitement to your senses tingle. If ever in the neighborhood, take a risk and visit the last barrier that stands between East and West. It will definitely be an experience I will never forget.

About the Author

For pictures and more detailed information, please visit the Official Korea Tourism Organization Website

 

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General Choi Hong Hi, Founder of Korean Art of Tae Kwon Do -D $29.95 The Founder Of Korean Art of Tae Kwon Do General Choi Hong Hi. The founder of Tae Kwon Do is featured in this comprehensive documentary done shortly before his passing. He talks in length about his youth, his vision for the future of Tae Kwon Do, and how, where and when it all started. No more rumours hear it from the General himself a man of extreme integrity and honor. He also will show yo...

A Killing Art: The Untold History of Tae Kwon Do $7.41 Obscure documents, Korean-language books, and in-depth interviews with tae kwon do pioneers tell the tale of the origin of the most popular martial art. In 1938, tae kwon do began at the end of a poker game in a tiny village in a remote corner of what is now North Korea by Choi Hong-Hi, who began the martial art, and his nemesis, Kim Un-Yong, who developed the Olympic style and became one of the m...

Tae Kwon Do Basics, Techniques and Forms: The Indomitable Martial Art of Korea $18.04 Straight from a martial arts grandmaster, this manual on tae kwon do gives comprehensive physical and mental guidance for belt levels from white through black. Detailed color photographs reveal the intricacies of each position, offering coverage of essential hand and foot techniques, blocks, and strikes. For competitors, there are complete listings of both Olympic rules and World Tae Kwon Do Fede...

Complete Taekwondo Poomsae: The Official Taegeuk, Palgwae and Black Belt Forms of Taekwondo $26.46 Complete Taekwondo Poomsae is the most complete reference book available on the Taegeuk, Palgwae and Black Belt Poomsae of WTF style Taekwondo. Grandmasters Kyu Hung Lee and Sang H. Kim have combined their extensive taekwondo knowledge to teach you not only the 25 official taekwondo poomsae, but the meaning of the forms, the principles of Poomsae performance and the philosophy that underlies the t...