The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a strip of land between North and South Korea 160 miles long and 2.5 miles wide, has been sealed off for nearly 70 years—but civilians can now see a restricted area near it for themselves through a Google Arts and Culture project. Google, with the permission of South Korea's military, was allowed to take photos in a restricted area between the DMZ and the civilian control line, the Wall Street Journal reports. Since the 1953 armistice, wildlife has flourished inside the DMZ area and there are now 44 endangered species living in the zone, which has become a breeding ground for migratory birds.
Researchers say the area shows how a landscape can recover from war. "The DMZ region represents a sad history for the two Koreas. But it has been a rare haven for the many wildlife living there," Kim Seung-ho, head of DMZ Ecology Research Institute, tells the Journal. A display of animals living in the DMZ can be seen here. While fences—some of them electrified—keep some mammal species from leaving the DMZ, Eurasian otters, a species considered a symbol of peace and reconciliation, are able to travel freely between North and South through gaps in fences over rivers. Seo Jae-chul at Green Korea United says he hopes the whole region will someday become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The virtual tour is part of a larger Google project exploring the DMZ and its history. "When we thought about what projects we could do in Korea with our partners, the topic felt like a natural choice," Google program manager Simon Rein tells the Korea Times. "Exploring the DMZ is both a commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the ceasefire agreement and a continuation of our ongoing efforts to show the richness and diversity of Korean culture." (More demilitarized zone stories.)
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