Meanwhile in South Korea:
A local government has teamed up with a tour company on a project to take people into a no-man's land.
They see huge potential in developing tours to the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas as the area offers a unique blend of nature and history.
Kim Youngwon has more on the plan.
A heavily-armed, four-kilometer wide, demilitarized zone separates the two Koreas.
Because civilians generally are not allowed to enter the DMZ, Mother Nature has been free to do what she wants there for half a century.
27-hundred types of animals and plants live there and cultural assets still remain as traces of history.
Gangwon Province lies along the eastern half of the peninsular no-man's land.
Officials there have signed an agreement with tourism company Lotte Tour to develop the area in the DMZ as an ecological tourist site.
[INTERVIEW : Kim Kibyung,CEO,Lotte Tour] ''We will nurture the DMZ as a peaceful ecological and cultural resource to turn it into a tourist attraction.''
Gangwon officials are awaiting final approval from the military for the project while Lotte Tour is conducting field work to examine the sites.
The DMZ in Gangwon embodies an unusual mix of natural and historic value with the wild flowers among rusty wires.
Usually this view can only be seen from observatories, but these tours will take people right into it to provide hands-on experiences, as well as meals at military stations.
[INTERVIEW : Lee Wooshik, Director-General ,Tourism Bureau, Gangwon Province ] ''We are working to utilize the historic, cultural and ecological environment of the DMZ. We plan to build a DMZ museum and make tour routes along the barbed-wire fence.''
As for land mines Gangwon officials say not to worry, tour areas are safe.
If the plans are finalized, tours could take place as early as September and people can begin looking forward to seeing the nature preserve that was never meant to be.
Kim Youngwon, Arirang News.
AUG 07, 2008
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Friday, SEP 03, 2010, (KST) 
