By Korea.net Honorary Reporter Carlos Delfin from Mexico
Photos = Carlos Delfin

Visiting the DMZ is an experience that enriches in many aspects. You don't only learn about the history of the two Koreas, but you also get some perspective on the relationship between the two, and the current situation on the Korean Peninsula acquires deeper nuance. It helps to be more sensitive about what people in Korea feel, from those who lived first-hand through the tragedy of separation, to the younger generations who see their northern neighbor with different eyes, as well as the possibility of reunification.

In general, there is widespread optimism among Koreans. Reunification has gone from being a complicated issue to a very distant possibility that seems to be only a matter of time, something that is glimpsed in the short- or medium-term. Our guide on the tour said things like, "We will soon be able to travel to China and parts of Europe by train," and there was total conviction in his words, which, until a few months ago, would have seemed more distant or improbable.

Expectations for this visit were very different from reality. I had the impression that we would be in a gray place, tense, full of restrictions and soldiers watching every one of our steps. However, I found an open place next to the sea, full of people smiling and an atmosphere more reminiscent of a public park than a hostile border. It's true that there are some restrictions, and proper protocols must be respected, but outside of that the experience was fun and warm, perhaps sheltered by this mantle of optimism that I mentioned before.



The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, without a doubt, opened a door that had been closed for a long time, and demolished walls that were built up in silence, allowing many voices to find ears that hadn't listened before and let the two neighbors meet face to face in a climate of hospitality and cooperation.

The fact that the women in the pop group Red Velvet now have a picture with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, I think, is the perfect summary of the current situation and it has, in my opinion, a symbolic and historical weight about which nobody talks.

With the 2018 Inter-Korean Summit about to take place, I'm clear that we're at the door of a historic event from which a definitive course will emerge for the relationship of both Koreas and for the destiny of many people on both sides who look toward the same border with nostalgia and hope.

wisdom117@korea.kr

* This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.