Panmunjeom, Border checkpoint between North Korea and South Korea
Panmunjeom is a border checkpoint between North Korea and South Korea in Korea. The area contains several low concrete and wood structures arranged around an empty plaza where the actual demarcation line runs through.
Delegates from both sides signed the armistice agreement here in July 1953, ending active combat in the Korean War. Since then, the site has served as a venue for occasional negotiations and meetings between representatives of both nations.
The blue conference buildings sit directly on the border line and are used today for diplomatic meetings when both sides need to gather. South Korean soldiers stand motionless in taekwondo stance at the corners of the buildings, while their counterparts from the north take a different posture.
Visitors can only enter the zone through organized tours departing from the South Korean side, requiring registration several days in advance. Strict rules about behavior, clothing and photography apply during the visit and are explained before entry.
The conference rooms have a table positioned exactly on the center line, so participants in negotiations technically sit in their own country while facing each other directly. A microphone cable runs underneath the table, marking the invisible boundary between both territories.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
