By Honorary Reporter Helia Nikzaddinan from Iran

Photos=  Helia Nikzaddinan

Odusan Unification Tower, located in Paju, Gyeonggi-do Province, is a leading symbol of peace and hope for Korean reunification. Its significance is amplified this year as 2020 marks the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. 

In July last year, I was part of a cultural exchange sponsored by the Seoul-based National Institute for International Education (NIIED) that allowed me to visit Korea for 10 days as a representative from Iran. I got to visit the tower, a most mysterious and yet beautiful building.

Everything about my visit there was dream like. Our guides told us that this building is so close to North Korea and that border points in the North were observable. While riding on the bus from Seoul to Paju, I kept thinking about all the stories and movies I'd experienced about the Korean War as my anticipation rose over my visit.

It took us about two hours to reach the tower. The first thing I noticed was the huge crowd of foreign tourists excited about Korean history entering the building. The first impression of the tower might be just of a five-story building but it holds so many hopes, dreams and the pain of everything that happened during the war.

The first and second floors are like an art gallery full of portraits or sculptures with symbols of peace. A section also shows all negotiations on the Korean Peninsula. In short, peace is seen everywhere.

A piano was on another floor, and when I asked someone about it, he just replied that the song of peace was meant to be played on this piano. This further piqued my curiosity over this piano.

Another corner showed Unification Train, which was supposed to connect Seoul to Pyeongyang and even Paris. Now, however, this is just a photo-op spot for tourists.

I found the balcony to be the most interesting part of the tower. Its telescopes allow visitors to see border areas of North Korea. The balcony usually has a huge crowd, especially South Korean high school students wanting to see the North. This shows that even the younger generation knows the importance of peace.

The last floors were the most painful in my opinion, as they were filled with pictures and letters of families separated during the war. A young couple, a mother and her son, and so many others affected by this tragedy were shown there, and visitors could see their photos or read their letters.

At the end was a store selling things related to the Korean War and reunification in addition to cultural products. I remember buying a pen displaying the Korean flag, and even when I look at it now, it reminds me of the dream of reunification. Also, booklets from the Ministry of Unification were available in quite a few languages like Korean and English, and described President Moon Jae-in's diplomacy for peace.

Though nearly a year has passed since I visited this magical building, my memory of the trip remains vivid. This tower made me realize the hardship and pain endured by Korean War veterans and Korean families who were affected.

Odusan Unification Tower is a can't-miss spot for any visitor to Korea; it completely changes your perspective of the Korean War. I hope to visit it again as soon as possible.

chaey0726@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.