Third Tunnel of Aggression
Encyclopedia
The Third Tunnel of Aggression (Korean
: 第3땅굴) is a tunnel under the border between North Korea
and South Korea
, extending south of Panmunjom. It was the third tunnel to be discovered running under the border between the two Koreas.
, the tunnel was discovered in October 1978 based on information provided by a defector. It is 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) long, 2 m (6.6 ft) high and 2 m (6.6 ft) wide. It runs through bedrock at a depth of about 73 m (239.5 ft) below ground. It is apparently designed for a surprise attack on Seoul from North Korea, and can easily accommodate 30,000 men per hour along with light weaponry. Upon discovery of the third tunnel, the United Nations Command
accused North Korea of threatening the 1953 armistice agreement signed at the end of the Korean War
. Its description as a "tunnel of aggression" was given by the South, who considered it an act of aggression on the part of the North.
A total of four tunnels have been discovered so far, but there are believed to be up to ten more. South Korean and U.S. soldiers regularly drill in the Korean Demilitarized Zone
in hopes of finding more.
Initially, North Korea denied building the tunnel. However, observed drill marks for dynamite in the walls point towards South Korea and the tunnel is inclined so that water drains back towards the northern side of the DMZ (and thus out of the way of continued excavation).
North Korea then officially declared it part of a coal mine; black "coal" was painted on the walls by retreating soldiers to help confirm this statement. However, statements in the tunnel claim that there is no geological likelihood of coal being in the area. The walls of the tunnel where tourists are taken are observably granite
, a stone of igneous origin, whereas coal would be found in stone of sedimentary
origin.
Photos are forbidden within the tunnel, which is now well guarded, though it is a busy tourist site, where visitors enter by going down a long steep incline that starts in a lobby with a gift shop. The South Koreans have blocked the actual Military Demarcation Line in the tunnel with three concrete barricades. The third is visible by tourists visiting the tunnel and the second is visible through a window in the third.
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
: 第3땅굴) is a tunnel under the border between North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, extending south of Panmunjom. It was the third tunnel to be discovered running under the border between the two Koreas.
Background
Only 44 kilometres (27.3 mi) from SeoulSeoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, the tunnel was discovered in October 1978 based on information provided by a defector. It is 1.7 kilometres (1.1 mi) long, 2 m (6.6 ft) high and 2 m (6.6 ft) wide. It runs through bedrock at a depth of about 73 m (239.5 ft) below ground. It is apparently designed for a surprise attack on Seoul from North Korea, and can easily accommodate 30,000 men per hour along with light weaponry. Upon discovery of the third tunnel, the United Nations Command
United Nations Command (Korea)
The United Nations Command is the unified command structure for the multinational military forces supporting the Republic of Korea during and after the Korean War...
accused North Korea of threatening the 1953 armistice agreement signed at the end of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Its description as a "tunnel of aggression" was given by the South, who considered it an act of aggression on the part of the North.
A total of four tunnels have been discovered so far, but there are believed to be up to ten more. South Korean and U.S. soldiers regularly drill in the Korean Demilitarized Zone
Korean Demilitarized Zone
The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and...
in hopes of finding more.
Initially, North Korea denied building the tunnel. However, observed drill marks for dynamite in the walls point towards South Korea and the tunnel is inclined so that water drains back towards the northern side of the DMZ (and thus out of the way of continued excavation).
North Korea then officially declared it part of a coal mine; black "coal" was painted on the walls by retreating soldiers to help confirm this statement. However, statements in the tunnel claim that there is no geological likelihood of coal being in the area. The walls of the tunnel where tourists are taken are observably granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
, a stone of igneous origin, whereas coal would be found in stone of sedimentary
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution....
origin.
Photos are forbidden within the tunnel, which is now well guarded, though it is a busy tourist site, where visitors enter by going down a long steep incline that starts in a lobby with a gift shop. The South Koreans have blocked the actual Military Demarcation Line in the tunnel with three concrete barricades. The third is visible by tourists visiting the tunnel and the second is visible through a window in the third.
See also
- Korean Demilitarized ZoneKorean Demilitarized ZoneThe Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and...
- Korean People's ArmyKorean People's ArmyThe Korean People's Army , also known as the Inmin Gun, are the military forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim Jong-il is the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and Chairman of the National Defence Commission...
- List of Korea-related topics