North vs. South
According to the NY Times this morning, North Korea has agreed to abandon its nuclear development program. Should it be true, the American military and diplomats are breathing a big sigh of relief. These are several images from the Demilitarized Zone on the border of North and South Korea, where soldiers stare each other down day after day, and tourists trickle through to watch the fifty-year old chest-thumping contest.
It is largely for show, we learned in subsequent meetings. North and South Korea are on pretty good terms after the former ROK president Kim Dae Jung adopted a sunshine policy and loosened up the borders. The real tension in the conflict is between (suprise suprise) North Korea and the United States.
North Korean Soldier
ROK (South Korea) soldier
2 Comments:
Whether the DMZ is for show or not, it is affecting. I talked to one of the more pacifist-inclined members of our and she spoke of the tangible tension, how she could physically feel herself becoming wary, angry, and even feeling hatred toward the North Korean soldiers as they eyed us. It was the first insight to her into the true nature of military conflict, and deeply disturbed her to realize she was capable of such feelings.
On another note, I have a strong, strong, strong opinion that photobloggers have a responsibility to document current events. Really, I feel that if we don't, 12,000 voices armed with the two of the most powerful tools in the world - word and picture - are rendered mute.
Although it's okay to do what we do - photographing flowers, landscapes, urban decay, etc., I do feel we have a responsibility to document landmark events when they are presented to us. Are there some photos of New Orleans anywhere out there? 9/11? The Dukes of Hazzard premiere? Anything pertinent to the present day and age as perceived through eyes other than the press?
As I hop off my soapbox, I say this as much from my own failed experience in perceiving important moments as they develop as anything else.
These are wonderful.
And I'm with you on your thoughts here.
Glad you posted these.
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