future cityscape of the korean demilitarized zone thesis project - spring 2012
The Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea remains as one of the few “untouched� regions in the world. A border zone was created after the Korean War dividing the country, the identity, and the people of Korea into two separate sects. With recent events bringing news from the Korean Peninsula into the spotlight, the death of Kim Jong-Il, the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan and the bombardment of the island Yeonpyeong close to the border, the question of if the status-quo between the two brother nations will change is again brought forth. The relationship between the two nations is both dynamic and stagnant. Peace dialogues between the two countries as well as third parties are commonplace, yet it seems to have become ritualistic for them to suddenly fail with defensive and aggressive measures taking their place. The Demilitarized Zone ironically is the most heavily militarized border in the world and even though it has not been developed on in the past half century, it has been touched through the act of war and hostilities. To the south lies one of the most developed and economically booming countries in Asia. To the north lies an isolationist regime stuck in the past lacking even basic necessities for its people. Despite North and South Korea having drastic opposing policies in the economic, social and political realm, both sides share a similar goal, a goal of reunification. Eventual re-unification of the Koreas is generally viewed to be inevitable, but it has been close to 60 years and the two sides are still at war. The Joint Security Area is the only site situated on the demarcation line allowing the two Koreas to stand face to face. Neutral buildings and respected north and south pavilions allow for diplomatic and military meetings. It has also become a tourist destination that attracts visitors on both sides of the border. A weird mix of military guard towers, tanks, land mines, and thousands of tourists come together daily at this zone. Guards, diplomats, and tourists come together to stare and ponder what it would be like to live on the other side. Ultimately, through reunification or peacetime the two Koreas will be once again be connected through the former DMZ. What will the connection between the two Koreas mean for the four kilometer strip that once separated the two? What possibilities will designers and planners envision for the DMZ, an untouched refuge? How will the urban fabric grow and evolve on either side of the border?
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M. Juno Song
It is a bit humorous that while both sides have opposing policies in the economic, social and diplomatic realm, both north and south share a similar goal, a goal of reunification. Not surprisingly both sides view themselves as the main catalyst and liberator in the unified Korea scenario. Under the rule of 3rd generation KFR ( Kim Family Regime ) the future of North Korea is unknown and up for speculation. Whether the young Kim Jong-Un is prepared to follow in similar fashion and policies as his father and grandfather or if his lack of experience and western upbringing causes the collapse or reform of North Korea, only time will tell. In this thesis, a future scenario of the Korean Peninsula will be constructed with the basis that North Korea has fallen and is under the protectorate of South Korea. Regardless of if unification does or does not happen in the near or not so near future, the Demilitarized Zone will still be one of the largest built environment issues that will have to tackled and envisioned. Though the unification of the Korean Peninsula is seen as inevitable, critical problems and questions must be answered about the overall process. Similar to many contested borders, questions concerning economic, political and social agendas are key. The questions are even more problematic due to North Korea being extremely hostile as well as being severely under-developed than its southern counterpart. The divided Korea can be compared slightly in part to East and West Germany, which also occurred during the cold war. Germany’s eventual reunification had significant lag and impact on its culture and society costing close to two trillion dollars over two decades. Due to more extreme differences between the two Koreas, the problems and impact that comes from reunification should be expected to be even severer with negative effects lasting longer periods. Also, as the length of separation increases, younger generations in South Korea have become apathetic and more concerned about the cost of reuniting. Not only would the cost of developing the north take its toll, but many view their northern brethren as a separate people, a new group that just happens to share a similar language and history. This thesis will explore both the urban scale as well as the architectural scale future of the DMZ and Korean Peninsula. A time line measuring one hundred years into the future is split into three sections, the analytical relationship between the two Koreas, how that relationship will inform urban growth and change near and through the DMZ, and at architectural scale, speculation and design of specific moments in the urban fabric and how it evolves over time.