Meet the photographer documenting life on the Korean Peninsula’s DMZ

For some, it’s a no-man’s land and one of the world’s most heavily militarized zones. For others, it’s considered one of the most dangerous places on Earth.

There are many ways to describe the Korean Peninsula’s Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ.

This 250-kilometer-long, four-kilometer-wide restricted area between North Korea and South Korea has captured imaginations and inspired anxieties about war since it was set up in 1953.

But for one South Korean photographer, the DMZ is more than just the site of a tenuous stalemate. Jeong Seung-ik has been working in and around DMZ for nearly 20 years, with the aim of documenting the day-to-day lives of soldiers for South Korea.

“Part of my work is to follow soldiers around, and I see young soldiers going into very dangerous places,” says Jeong. “So although I think it’s good to show the strong presence of our military, I try to catch their emotions as much as I can – happiness and other various facial expressions, for example.”

An oasis of nature inside the DMZ

Chronicling life on the DMZ: Jeong Seung-ik has been working in and around the Korean Peninsula's Demilitarized Zone for nearly 20 years, documenting the day-to-day lives of South Korean soldiers.

Capturing another side: "Although I think it's good to show the strong presence of our military, I try to catch their emotions as much as I can -- happiness and other various facial expressions, for example," says Jeong.

The DMZ: The 24-kilometer-long, four-kilometer-wide DMZ, between North Korea and South Korea, has captured imaginations and inspired war anxieties since it was set up in 1953.

Military photographer: "Part of my work is to follow soldiers around, and I see young soldiers going into very dangerous places," says Jeong.

Oasis of wildlife: A largely uninhabited symbol of an unfinished war, the DMZ is a surprising oasis filled with wildlife and natural beauty.

Photos of peace: Peace, or the hope for it, is exactly what Jeong wants to show the world with his photos.

Peace in one image: "The most memorable photo I took inside the DMZ was one of cranes flying over a guard post," Jeong says. "That photo made me realize how peace can be explained with just one image."

Special access: Because Jeong was hired by the South Korean military to document the DMZ, he has access to places that are not open to the general public. But he says there are still some places travelers can visit for a glimpse of the DMZ.

Baengmagoji Monument: Jeong says visitors curious about the DMZ should visit the Baengmagoji Monument. A memorial to one of the bloodiest battles during the Korean War, the Korea Tourism Organization says more than 17,000 people died in the area.

Lookout: On top of a hill, a 73-foot-tall monument and a memorial hall greets you before you reach a viewing platform that looks out to the DMZ's restricted area.

A passion for the job: "As a military photographer, it's really interesting for me to see the traces of the war inside the DMZ, but also to capture how well-preserved the ecology is. So that's why I come here often," Jeong says.

Unexpected beauty: Jeong wants to make sure that the unexpected beauty of the border gets enough attention from the world.

Worker's Party Headquarters: At the old Korean Worker's Party Headquarters in Cheorwon, memories of the Korean War linger in the bullet holes that pepper its crumbling fa?ade.

Preserving a piece of history: "I think it's my role to make the DMZ known throughout the world," Jeong says, "So that even if reunification happens in the future, my photographs can preserve and protect the DMZ as it is now."

A dangerous place: The International Campaign to Ban Landmines estimates that more than two million landmines were laid in the DMZ.

See revealing photos from the Korean Peninsula's DMZ

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It’s not just military exercises and army fatigues that catch Jeong’s attention while he’s inside the DMZ. As a largely uninhabited symbol of an unfinished war, the area is a surprising wildlife oasis offering unadulterated vistas of natural scenes.

“As a military photographer, it’s really interesting for me to see the traces of the war inside the DMZ, but also to capture how well-preserved the ecology is. So that’s why I come here often,” Jeong says.

“The most memorable photo I took inside the DMZ was one of cranes flying over a guard post. That photo made me realize how peace can be explained with just one image.”

And peace, or the hope for it, is exactly what Jeong wants to show the world.

The International Campaign to Ban Landmines say it’s estimated that more than two million landmines were laid in the DMZ.

Despite the fact there is an ongoing effort from the two countries and international community to de-mine the region, many remain undiscovered.

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Rare wildlife flourishes inside Korean DMZ

01:29 - Source: CNN

Catching a glimpse of the DMZ

Because Jeong was hired by the South Korean military to document the DMZ, he has access to places that are not open to the general public. But he says there are still destinations travelers should visit for a glimpse of the DMZ.

These include the Baengmagoji Monument, a memorial to one of the Korean War’s bloodiest battles, in which more than 17,000 people were killed, according to the Korea Tourism Organization.

On top of a hill, a 73-foot-tall monument and memorial hall greet you before you reach a viewing platform that looks out to the DMZ’s restricted area. From there you can see a South Korean guard post as well as a North Korean guard post in the far distance.

- Source: CNN " data-fave-thumbnails="{"big": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/190225145025-dmz-korean-things-to-do-vision-00002109.jpg?q=x_0,y_0,h_1080,w_1919,c_fill/h_540,w_960" }, "small": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/190225145025-dmz-korean-things-to-do-vision-00002109.jpg?q=x_0,y_0,h_1080,w_1919,c_fill/h_540,w_960" } }" data-vr-video="" data-show-html="" data-byline-html="" data-timestamp-html="" data-check-event-based-preview="" data-is-vertical-video-embed="" data-network-id="" data-publish-date="2019-02-27T00:54:04Z" data-video-section="travel" data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2019/02/25/dmz-korean-things-to-do-vision.cnn" data-branding-key="" data-video-slug="dmz-korean-things-to-do-vision" data-first-publish-slug="dmz-korean-things-to-do-vision" data-video-tags="asia,continents and regions,east asia,north and south korea conflict,north korea,south korea,travel and tourism,unrest, conflicts and war" data-details="">

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5 things to do at the Korean DMZ

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The old Korean Worker’s Party Headquarters in Cheorwon is another place where the memories of the Korean War linger in the bullet holes that pepper its crumbling fa?ade. The abandoned building was built by the North Korean soldiers during their occupation of the area in the 1940s, in order to strengthen power and civil control of the area after Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonialism.

The site was registered as South Korea’s Modern Cultural Heritage no.22 in May, 2002.

“I think it’s my role to make the DMZ known throughout the world,” Jeong says, “So that even if reunification happens in the future, my photographs can preserve and protect the DMZ as it is now.”