[paywall may apply] “Though the DMZ is known as a desolate, unforgiving place, hardy people have settled nearby — or even inside — the zone.
They cultivate land under the watchful eyes of border guards despite the potential for land mines. When fishing season comes, fishermen venture into dangerous waters near the border to catch croakers, blue crabs and octopus while warships provide protection.
In recent years, northern counties of South Korea have become unlikely tourist destinations, attracting people drawn to the history of the DMZ.In a coastal campsite just outside the eastern DMZ, families pitch tents only yards away from wire fences and military signs ask campers to report “suspicious persons, objects and vessels.”
A DMZ-themed motel on the campsite has rooms decorated with barbed wire on the wall. Visitors can enjoy museums and tours along the border.
The Korean War Armistice was signed seventy years ago, separating the two Koreas and putting an end to the fighting, but not the war itself.”
Source: Life Along the Korean DMZ, 70 Years After the Fighting Ended