Of the 130,000 South Korean soldiers conscripted every year, only a handful will ever get to see their sworn enemies in the flesh. They are the ones stationed at the “demilitarised zone” that separates the two Koreas.



The area, commonly known as the DMZ, is one of the most fortified borders in the world – separating two countries that have technically remained at war since 1953. It also a serves as a tourist attraction, visited by thousands of people a year.

Tensions along the border have been raised since two South Korean officers were gravely injured by a landmine last August. Seoul immediately blamed Pyongyang, who rejected the allegations but declared the country on a war footing.

On patrol

For Shin Yong-tae, a former South Korean soldier who took part in patrol missions near the North Korean border, the threat of landmines was always present.

“Once I heard a click under my boots and I could feel the shivers down my spine,” he said, recounting a near miss on patrol.

“I think I just stepped on a mine,” he told his fellow soldiers – who immediately ran away and left him.



“I couldn’t even scream as our regular patrol had to be done in absolute silence,” Shin said.

Later the officer in charge came with a knife and carefully dug the ground under Shin’s foot – only to reveal that he had stepped on a tin can.

A group of South Korean soldiers on patrol in the DMZ Photograph: Kim Jae-Hwan/EPA

“Yes, I was ridiculed later, but we all knew it could happen to any of us at any time,” Shin said.

Regular explosions heard in the middle of the night, usually caused by small animals stepping on mines, served as a constant reminder of the dangers, he added.

Sub-zero conditions

Because the border is supposed to be a “demilitarised zone”, it takes some creative accounting to allow the soldiers to be posted there.

“All of the rangers are given a chest patch that says ‘DMZ police’ and an armband that says ‘military police,’” Shin said. “As as long as we wear the armband before entering the DMZ, no matter how armed we are, we are nothing but the ‘armed police’ not the armed ‘military’ force.”

It’s a posting that comes with many hazards, not just North Korean ones. Instead of four seasons there are just three at the DMZ: “the steaming summer, cold winter and the ice age when everything freezes,” he said.

Shin and his fellow soldiers had to endure temperatures that dropped below -19C (-2.2F), with endless, biting winds blowing in from the North.

“The wind was so strong it could literally blow you around,” said Shin. “Most general outposts are on the top of the mountain, directly facing the wind.”

Training

The South Korean soldiers at the DMZ go through intense training.

Shin had to memorise every line from the armistice agreement drawn up at end of the Korean war in 1953.

The armistice must be respected by both sides at all times, “which is why we memorised it ... in sensitive times even a small mistake can get you into difficulties,” he said.

He also had to be fully acquainted with the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy.

Looking over on enemy territory Photograph: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

They were taught about the topography of the North Korean hills, the weapons the North Koreans had and how far they were likely to reach – “the knowledge that would keep me alive,” he said.

Despite the weather and the remote, modest locations of their outposts, the South Koreans were better catered for than their Northern peers.

“The southern side of DMZ is lit with high-powered electric lights. But during the night the North Koreans just stay in the pitch black. I cannot even imagine what they can do with that little light,” he said.

The disrepencies don’t end there. “We were equipped with the military grade scopes that can magnify objects up to 200 times, and thermal optics to catch any of North Korean movements.” The other side had nothing that could compare.

“One day, a truck, a Soviet-era one, was rolling down the mountain. We were recording their movements, using our military scopes.” They soon discovered it was only filled with potatoes, he said.



“North Korean soldiers who rarely move around, even during the day, suddenly came out of nowhere and climbed the truck like hungry ants.”

Yeonpyeong Island

Like soldiers the world over, Shin had come to terms with the prospect of dying in the line of duty.

He can clearly remember the day, in 2010, when North Korean artillery bombarded Yeonpyeong Island, home to more than 1,000 South Koreans.

“All of us went on [full] alert,” he said. “We slept with our full uniforms on and the gear lying next to us and we were given two pieces of paper to write our wills”. Shin was 21.

“Most of the privates immediately started to write while the more senior soldiers, corporals and sergeants, drew a long breath and went out for a smoke,” he said.

They were in a state of alert for a week. He could not have a shower or eat a proper meal, and had to stay hidden from the North Korean line of fire.



But Shin has no regrets about his time there. “Most South Koreans only get to see North Korea or its people on the TV,” but this kind of work will leave you with unforgettable memories.

“Despite all our differences, North Korean soldiers were just like us: people.”

A version of this article first appeared on NK News – North Korean news