It wasn't too long until we got to our next destination, a place along the DMZ called Imjingak, which is only 4 km from the famous truce village of Panmunjeom. Imjingak was established as a place of refuge for North Koreans who had fled their hometowns during the Korean War, and has been described as a place "filled with tears of bitter regret." As we mentioned earlier, the partition of the Korean peninsula is a source of great pain for most Koreans. That pain, along with the great hope and fervent desire for reunification, is palpable in a place like Imjingak. Imjingak is replete with monuments and memorials, including one that honors American soldiers' participation in the war. One of the most striking monuments there is the Peace Bell [Image 122, Image 123], which is struck 12 times at noon each day to send prayers for unification to North Korea. Our favorite was probably the Stones of Peace Wall [Image 124], made of stones from 86 battlefields in 64 different countries. The dedication plaque on the wall reads:
Stones from all over the world filled with sadness and grief and stained with blood and tears have been collected here to represent our wish for peace for all mankind. In their place of origin, they were witness to hate, anger, and malice, but here, may they once again find forgiveness, reconciliation, and love. May the world be a place where people of each neighborhood, each race, and each country embrace each other as brothers and sisters. Together we pray that this country divided into North and South be reunified and its people divided into left and right be reunited.
To which peace-loving people can only answer, "amen!"
We also walked along the Bridge of Freedom [Image 125], which overlooks the Pond of Reunification and has a platform from which refugees from North Korea can bow to the north in honor of their ancestors. The Bridge of Freedom ends at the Gyeong-euiseon Railroad [Image 126], the only existing rail link between South and North Korea.
When our visit to Imjingak was over, we returned to the car and Mrs. Lee was only too happy to let Joe take a nap in her arms [Image 127].
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