It has been reported that around 800,000 landmines are buried throughout this 160-mile long sliver of land. In a way, these weapons serve as protectors, allowing nature to grow without intervention from the human race.

Humbled by our visit, we returned to the bus. It was time to head farther north towards the Joint Security Area.

As we sat back down in our seats, the mood of the group shifted. The chatter in the back of the bus was silenced by our guide explaining that we now must display our “United Nations Command” visitors pass at all times.

From that point on we would be inside an active war zone. The bus began to slowly swerve as we continued on. Left, right, then back to the left, avoiding barriers as we crossed a bridge that spanned the Imjin River below.

A slight feeling of unease came over me as we passed through the military checkpoint, but it was time to visit the Joint Security Area (JSA), also known as the village of Panmunjom. It was here that we hoped to step foot into North Korea.

Our bus came to a stop at the entrance to Camp Bonifas, located just 400m south of the border. A mere quarter of a mile is all that separated us from the border. We filed into an auditorium, joining with other tour groups. As the seats filled, our new guides from the U.S. Army began dispersing visitor declarations. These documents stated that the U.S Army, UN Command, and the Republic of Korea could not guarantee the safety of visitors and may not be held accountable in the event of a “hostile enemy act.” Comforting, to say the least.

We signed on the dotted lines, nervously laughing at one another’s slight hesitation, then climbed the stairs onto a new bus and continued driving north.

Finally, we reached the Freedom House. Located on the South Korean side of the Joint Security Area, this structure was originally built to house the reunification of Korean families. It has yet to see such a day.

We received final instructions from our leader: At no time should we place our hands in our pockets. If we were going to use our phones for pictures, then we must hold them the entire time. No waving, pointing or making any motion towards the North Korean side.

We were to remain in a single file line at all times. The Korean People’s Army would be closely monitoring our movements from their guard towers. Any misstep may be recorded and used as propaganda.