Upcoming Trip to Korea, Where Should I Go?

[panzerkopf]

I'm taking a trip to South Korea in January and I plan on checking out some Korean war battlefields. There are a bunch of places I want to check out, including Gloster Hill, the Punchbowl, Inchon and Osan among others. Pork Chop Hill and Chosin Reservoir are on the wrong side of the border so they're both out; Bloody Ridge and Heartbreak seem to be in the South but they may be too close to the DMZ to really check out.

 

I'm only there for two weeks and the entire country is covered in battlefields so I can't possibly see them all, plus I want to explore the non-military aspects of the country and my host will probably get sick of being dragged up and down forlorn mountains in the dead of winter after a while. Since at least 75% of my purpose in visiting the ROK is to mack it to her, it's imperative that I'm not overbearing with my "birth control hobbies" while I'm there.

 

So I'm trying to make a short list of must-visit battlefields to hit up; the ones that are closest to their original condition and/or have the most epic history. To help narrow it down, I'll be in Seoul mostly but I'll be going as far afield as Seoraksan national park (a bit south of the Punchbowl on the east coast) and the Pusan area.

 

Also, I'm putting serious thought into wearing my Korean War-era Marine impression to at least one of these places. While I'm not sure what random passers-by would think of some weird foreigner wandering around their national parks in clothes from one of the darkest moments in their history, or what South Korean customs would think of me bringing this stuff into their country in the firs place, the opportunity seems almost too awesome to pass up. In my mind, I would be honoring the gear by bringing it to it's ground of destiny one last time. As for the girl, she's pretty tolerant of my interest in military history but I don't know if she's THAT tolerant. Plus the chance for me to mess up original items during the course of serious hiking is troubling.

Maybe I can go for a "rear area" impression. A parka is pretty reasonable and won't draw as much attention as 782 gear and a helmet. Weapons are out of the question, Korean law is way too strict to even consider it.

 

 

[ColdWarRules]

I would definatly go to where the Pusan perimeter was, then Inchon, and maybe the DMZ. kind of like foot steps, the beginning, the change of the tide, and the end result.

 

-Nick

 

Also welcome to the forum! I see you're relatively new!

[gpw_42]

Glocester Hill is your best bet, of the few Korean battlefields I've visited. It's really amazing to see what that UK regiment defended. Also, don't overlook the War Memorial museum in Seoul (near Yongsan US Army garrison); it's heavy on the RoK aspect of the war, but you'll learn a lot - especially with an interpreter along.

 

I wouldn't waste time with Inchon - though it's perhaps the definitive American battlefield, it's a working port. There's not much there to see except a monument or two, and a bunch of fishermen and shipping. If I overlooked something there, I hope someone will chime in to correct me.

 

Chipyong-ni is VERY fascinating to study, and walk the ground - that's where 23d IN Reg't (2ID) stopped about 4-5 Chinese divisions in Feb. '51. It's also easy to access, IF your girl has a car.

 

I can't speak to Pusan. I never went to Soraksan, but it's beautiful to ride past on the train. In the summer, there are TONS of locals, of all ages, who enjoy hiking the mountain/park daily.

 

Korea is effin' COLD in January. Make sure you dress appropriately - which (in my mind) means skip the KW uniform, and make sure you have enough layers to stay warm while you're moving around.

 

I THINK the DMZ at Panmunjom is open for tours, but have no idea what would be involved in scheduling one. I'd highly recommend that as part of your trip - and I'll bet dollars to donuts your girl has never been there. Whether or not she's WILLING to go is something you'll have to sort out.

 

Seoul is something like 4-6 times the population of NYC, and VERY modern (heck, it was all built in the last 60 years!). Just be prepared for the crush of people. There are lots of cars around Seoul, but I bet a tiny fraction of locals have cars. You'll need to check into the transportation portion of where can you go, before you fly. Korean food is great, but you need to get comfortable eating kimchi before you go (if you're not already), because it's a huge staple in their food. Also, get comfortable using metal chop sticks - very few places have forks available (the metal ones are more difficult to use than the usual balsa ones available in oriental food places in the US). So long as you take an open mind and the right layers of snivel gear, you're likely to have a great time. Whatever time you put into researching the battles where you plan to visit, will be time well spent. And I'd recommend not surprising your girl with requests to go all over her country - it's a long way from Seoul to Pusan.

 

Keep us updated!

Steve

[willysmb44]

When i was still with the 2nd ID, we had people rotating in and out of Camp Red Cloud and a few told me the 2nd ID museum was pretty nice. I'd love to see it someday...

http://www.2id.korea.army.mil/history/museum

[panzerkopf]

Thanks guys, this is good advice so far. Here's a short list of KW-related sights I'm planning to visit in no particular order. ColdWarRules, I want to try to hit these sites in order, but I made need to go by their geographical convenience instead. Feel free to comment on any of them.

 

-Yonsan War Memorial, a museum for Korea's wars.

-Panmunjeom

-Chipyong-ni (thanks GPW_42! I had never even heard of this battle till now.)

-Wonju (maybe)

-Inchon. Even if it's not that great, it's right next to Seoul so why not? I hear it's nice to visit anyway.

-Gloster Hill

-ROK 2nd Division memorial, in Uijongbu just north of Seoul

-Task Force Smith memorial near Osan

-Kapyong

-Godaeson Mountain, the ruins of an abandoned ex-North Korean town are nearby, including the local Party headquarters!

-Chunchon

-Hongchon

-The Punchbowl

-Heartbreak Ridge and Bloody Ridge (assuming I can get there, they're REALLY close to the DMZ)

-Ulji Observatory and the 4th Infiltration Tunnel, both right near the Punchbowl.

-Naktong Bulge

-2nd ID Museum (thanks willysmb44!)

-Museum for Freedom and Peacekeeping in Dongduchon, a museum devoted to the ROK army.

 

I still need to do some research on a few of these places, but I have plenty of time. I'm also going to check out some Imjin War sites, but that war predates America and thus isn't really relevant to the forum.

 

Another question: What's the militaria scene like there? I'm hoping I can get some cool presents for myself while I'm there, even if it's foreign stuff. ROK camouflage is pretty cool looking.

[triplecanopy]

You can find almost anything you are looking for in Seoul in an area called E Tae Won. Your senses will be on overload as everything you can imagine is for sale there. For military items, insignia, clothing, luggage, shoes, electronics etc. There were and probably still are some small brass shops that have tons of insignia. If you get to the DMZ, borrow some binoculars so you can observe the North Korean guards looking back at you through their Binos. The huge NK Flag is a sight to see also. Be safe. Have fun.

[panzerkopf]

Thanks? Doesn't that area have a lot of bars and night clubs too?

 

Also, for the sake of my feet and my sanity, I'm going to focus primarily on areas where the 1st MarDiv fought. It's my old division after all and I only have two weeks. So it's going to be something like Pusan Perimeter, Inchon (I'll be right there so why not?), Wonju, Punchbowl, Maybe Bunker Hill and the Nevada Cities battlefields if those aren't inside the DMZ now. I still want to hit Chipyong-ni and Gloster Hill though, just for how epic those battles were. Luckily, the girl owns a car and told me she has no problem going anywhere, and she's into hiking.