進入英語學習論壇下載音頻 去聽寫專區一展身手

It's ironic that a mine-filled forbidden zone is now a wildlife paradise, and it's even more ironic that it may be threatened if permanent peace is achieved on the Korean Peninsula.

Along the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK), there is a Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that extends for 2 kilometers on either side as a buffer zone.

The zone was established in 1953 when an armistice was signed to end the Korean War (1950-1953).

Ever since, the two sides have had few exchanges, except for some rare high-level meetings or reunions of families separated by the war.

And the 4-km-wide, 250-km-long DMZ has the highest density of land mines in the world - 2.3 for every square meter - so no one can walk to the other side, said Cho Jai-kook, a coordinator of the Korea Campaign to Ban Land Mines.

Around 10 people - civilians and soldiers - die every year in land mine accidents in the area, according to ROK newspaper Joong Ang Ilbo.

The zone, which is guarded by military forces, is fenced in and dotted with red warning signs saying "mines" or "dangerous".

The heavily fortified area is now home to a number of endangered species.

Despite the military fortifications, the ROK government has developed the DMZ into a travel destination, where tourists, after strict security checks, can see debris from the war, and have a glance at the DPRK.

"This is a very special tour which offers a dramatic sense of the tragedy of the separated families from the division of the peninsula," according to a tourism brochure published in the ROK.

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.