• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.242-257
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• 2019

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) stretches two kilometers north and south from the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) of South and North Korea. This area was established as a weapons-free buffer zone when an armistice agreement was signed in 1953. However, there have been several very high-tension military standoffss over the past 65 years. On the South Korean side, civilian access to the Civilian Control Line (CCL) and beyond to the north has been restricted, and natural heritage has been well maintained. Natural heritage is defined as living things, their habitat and non-living things of the ecosystem which deserve to be protected. Research shows that a variety of flora and fauna, their habitat, marshes and geographical structures are found across the DMZ region. Although the DMZ region has not been such a good place for habitat conservation, we can say that this area may be the best location for restoration in terms of its variety of ecosystems and considerable land size. Restoration of course depends on future plans and management policies. This area, including the DMZ and the well-protected north of the CCL, will be the best habitat for endangered species of wild fauna and flora if we classify the various habitat types and create a habitat map. In doing this project, we need to include the estuary of the Han River and the lagoon (brackish water lake) of the East Sea coast. In addition, we must establish long-term plans for conservation and sustainable use and do international scientific research across the DMZ region in collaboration with scientists of South and North Korea and international experts. Mutual cooperation between the two Koreas for investigation and conservation efforts is paramount.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.499-506
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• 2022

With the construction of the northern line of the East Sea in 2021, expectations for peaceful use of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) are rising. Accordingly, it is necessary to prepare for leisure tourism activities at nearby beaches using the Demilitarized Zone as a security ecological tourism. However, despite the increase in the amount of ultraviolet rays on the surface due to the destruction of the ozone layer, there are no guidelines for UV exposure. In this paper, the amount of ultraviolet reflection on the coast adjacent to the DMZ using remote exploration was measured and analyzed. It is hoped that the presented results will be used as basic data to prepare UV guidelines for leisure tourism activities in nearby areas.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.272-287
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• 2019

The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) was established in 1953 by the Korean War Armistice Agreement. It extends from the estuary of the Imjin River, in the west, to the coast of the East Sea. It is 4 km in width and 148 km in length. However, the ecosystems of the civilian control zone (CCZ) located between the southern border of the DMZ and the civilian control line (CCL) and the CCZ in the estuary of the Han River and the Yellow Sea are similar to those in the DMZ, and, therefore, the ecosystems of the DMZ and the CCZ are collectively known as the "ecosystems of the DMZ and its vicinities." The flora in the DMZ and its vicinities is composed of 1,864 species, which accounts for about 42% of all the vascular plant species on the Korean Peninsula and its affiliated islands. Conducting a detailed survey on the vegetation, flora, and fauna in the DMZ is almost impossible due to the presence of landmines and limitations on the time allowed to be spent in the DMZ. However, to assess the environmental impact of the Munsan-Gaesong railroad reconstruction project, it was possible to undertake a limited vegetation survey within the DMZ in 2001. The vegetation in Jangdan-myeon, in Paju City within the DMZ, was very simple. It was mostly secondary forests dominated by oaks such as Quercus mongolica, Q. acutissima, and Q. variabilis. The other half of the DMZ in Jangdan-myeon was occupied by grassland composed of tall grasses such as Miscanthus sinensis, M. sacchariflorus, and Phragmites japonica. Contrary to the expectation that the DMZ may be covered with pristine mature forests due to more than 60 years of no human interference, the vegetation in the DMZ was composed of simple secondary forests and grasslands formed on former rice paddies and agricultural fields. At present, the only legal protection system planned for the DMZ is the Natural Environment Conservation Act, which ensures that the DMZ would be managed as a nature reserve for only two years following Korean reunification. Therefore, firstly, the DMZ should be designated as a site of domestic legally protected areas such as nature reserve (natural monument), scenic site, national park, etc. In addition, we need to try to designate the DMZ as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve or as a World Heritage site, or as a Ramsar international wetland for international cooperation. For nomination as a world heritage site, we can emphasize the ecological and landscape value of the wetlands converted from the former rice paddies and the secondary forests maintained by frequent fires initiated by military activities. If the two Koreas unexpectedly reunite without any measures in place for the protection of nature in the DMZ, the conditions prior to the Korean War, such as rice paddies and villages, will return. In order to maintain the current condition of the ecosystems in the DMZ, we have to discuss and prepare for measures including the retention of mines and barbed-wire fences, the construction of roads and railroads in the form of tunnels or bridges, and the maintenance of the current fire regime in the DMZ.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 2019

This study is to measure the length of the Demilitarized Zone and the Military Demarcation Line(MDL) on the Korean Peninsular. For this purpose, maps of the Armistice Agreement Volume II were used. These maps are nine sheets. In order to extract the MDL shown on the map, coordinates were assigned to the scanned image maps using the georeferencing module of ArcGIS based on the sheet line coordinates. The accuracy of the extracted vectors was checked by overlaying them on the maps of the Armistice Agreement Volume II. And I tried to validate these vectors through comparative analysis with vectors extracted from Kim(2007). Vectors extracted from Kim(2007) had errors in the curvilinear parts of the MDL, but the vectors extracted from this study exactly matched the MDL in the Armistice Agreement Volume II. The measured length is 239.42km(148.77miles). This means that the expression '155mile MDL' or '248km DMZ' in papers, reports or mass media has so far been inappropriate. I think this study will be able to provide information on the exact length of the DMZ in studies related with DMZ or in policy decisions by the national and local government. However, it is deemed necessary to verify this result by national organizations such as the NGII(National Geographic Information Institute). After these verification procedures, I hope that the national government will inform the people of the exact length of DMZ and MDL.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.317-327
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• 2009

The aim of this paper is to analyse survey data on the geomorphological landscape of demilitarized zone(DMZ) and borderland which are collected through the national pilot study of natural environment by the Ministry of Environment. In addition, it is to explore applications on analytic results. Of total 356 geomorphological landscapes, River terraces have the highest share of the total, and the first grade is 57 landscapes(16.1%). This survey is significant in that the geomorphological landscape of DMZ and borderland by being access to the Northern Boundary Line is explored. The landscape has the only spatial characteristic over the world because it is within DMZ, and there is a high possibility to use for a geopark which is selected by UNESCO.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.28-50
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• 2024

A fact-finding survey of the Demilitarized Zone can be said to be a very meaningful academic survey linked to previous index surveys of protected military areas and municipal and excavation surveys of ruins and military sites on Mount Dora. Not a few ruins were first discovered in this survey, and the locations, structures, and restoration artifacts of the previously investigated ruins were confirmed differently, raising the need for a detailed investigation. In particular, it is noteworthy that various relics from the Paleolithic Age to the Joseon Dynasty were recovered from relics dispersion sites such as Josan-ri and Cheorwon Gangseo-ri in Paju, and Hoengsan-ri Temple Site is also a Buddhist relic in the Demilitarized Zone. However, in the case of some graveyards and relics sites in the Paju region, it was an opportunity to understand the reality that they are not safe from cultivation and development, and the ruins of Cheorwon Capital Castle, Seongsanseong Fortress, Jorangjin Bastion, and Gangseo-ri Bastion were damaged during the construction of military facilities, and an urgent investigation is needed. Also, farmland and hilly areas around the ruins of Jangdan, Gunnae-myeon, and Gangsan-ri have not been properly investigated for buried cultural assets due to small-scale development. Therefore, it is an important time for the relevant authorities and agencies to cooperate more closely to establish special management and medium- to long-term investigation measures for the cultural heritage in the Demilitarized Zone based on the results of this fact-finding investigation.

• 산림경영
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• s.120
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• pp.11-13
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• 1996

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2019.04a
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• pp.65-65
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• 2019

비무장지대(DMZ)는 군사적 활동 외에 일반인에 의한 접근이 엄격히 통제되어 자연적으로 생물들이 보호되어 왔으며, 한반도의 거대한 동 서 생태축으로서 그 중요성이 매우 높다. 본 연구는 경기도 연천군지역의 비무장지대 및 민통선지역에 분포하는 자원식물의 현황을 파악하고 희귀식물, 한국특산식물 등 주요 유용자원식물의 보전과 관리에 기초자료를 제공하고자 실시하였다. 연구대상지에 분포하는 자원식물은 74과 168속 192종 4아종 26변종 5품종으로 총 227분류군으로 우리나라에 분포하는 관속식물 4,881(국립수목원, 2007)분류군의 4.66%로 나타났다. 각 과별 구성종의 출현비율을 살펴보면 국화과 36분류군으로 가장 다양하게 출현하였다. 연구대상지내에 분포하는 희귀식물은 쥐방울덩굴(Aristolochia contorta Bunge)로 1분류군이 확인되었으며, 한국특산식물은 키버들(Salix koriyanagi Kimura), 병꽃나무(Weigela subsessilis (Nakai) L.H.Bailey), 은사시나무(Populus tomentiglandulosa T. B. Lee)로 3분류군, 귀화식물은 단풍잎돼지풀(Ambrosia trifida L.), 족제비싸리(Amorpha fruticosa L.), 아까시나무(Robinia pseudoacacia L.) 등 등 17분류군으로 나타났다. 연구결과 전체적으로 다양한 식물종이 확인되지는 않았으며, 일부 구간에는 가시박(Sicyos angulatus L.), 돼지풀(Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.), 단풍잎돼지풀(Ambrosia trifida L.) 등 생태계교란 야생식물이 폭넓게 분포하고 있는 것을 확인할 수 있었다.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.216-241
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• 2019

There are 35 cultural properties of fourteen kinds in the Demilitarized Zone known so far, but this number is expected to increase in the future. Among them, Cheolwon-Doseong and Jeongol-Chong of Gimhwa should be the first step toward conservation efforts by conducting a joint investigation through the collaboration of North and South Korea. In particular, the joint investigation of Cheolwon-Doseong will not only remind the North and South that they are the same people who have had common history and cultural traditions for a long time, but will also give symbolic meaning to convert the demilitarized zone into a stage for peace. Since Jeongol-Chong is a mass grave of the fallen soldiers of Pyeongan Province who fought against the invasion of the Qing of China, it should be managed as a national designated cultural asset through joint investigation. In addition, the Demilitarized Zone should become a World Heritage Site because of its importance to the legacy of the Korean War, an international war caused by an ideological confrontation. Furthermore, it has more than 6,000 kinds of temperate forests in addition to 100 species of endangered species and natural monuments. The DMZ is very qualified to be a World Natural Heritage Site, and should be included as a World Complex Cultural Heritage Site that qualifies as a World Heritage and World Natural Heritage Site. In the Demilitarized Zone, we can also find numerous highlands, tunnels and posts used during the Korean War, as well as surveillance posts, a military demarcation line, barbed wire fences, and Panmunjom, which were created by the armistice agreement. it would be desirable to select some of its sections and war facilities and to register them as modern cultural heritage assets. Finally, it is necessary to reconstruct the Dorasan Signal Fire Site, which was the communication facility of a traditional era which connected the South (Dorasan) and North (Gaesong). This would symbolize smooth communication between the two Koreas. In order to prepare for the reckless development of the Demilitarized Zone due to the upcoming cease-fire, the government and cultural asset experts will have to work hard to identify and preserve the cultural properties of the Demilitarized Zone, and they will also have to maintain consistent control over matters such as indiscriminate investigation and mine clearance.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.169.1-169
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• 2000