Seoul: DMZ with Retired Military Officer & North Korean Defector
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
This is operated by PLK Travel - the BEST DMZ tour agency
1. The only DMZ tour in Korea led by retired military officers. Real soldiers, real stories
– Agent SJ: Special Forces Major, Iraq war veteran (707 Battalion)
– Agent Tiger: Former artillery commander with 20+ years on the front line
– Agent Eddie: Infiltration tunnel expert, DMZ briefer to U.S./Korean brass
– Agent Jason : A 31-year veteran ROK intelligence officer, retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
- Agent Leo : Served in the Special Forces and the 705th Special Mission Regiment
2. A Clear View into North Korea
Enjoy the clearest view of North Korea from Dorasan and hear the real history from our special & expert guide.
3. Compact yet powerful
Step into the most heavily armed border in the world, where history and real-time tension collide.
This compact tour skips the fluff-Half Day, No Shopping, just unforgettable insight.
*For groups of 10 +, free hotel pick-up is included*
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
Schedule and details can be changed due to unexpected situations including military training schedule changes, traffic, weathers
It has minimum number of guest to proceed the tour.
The total duration is including traffic hours on the bus
One of observatory which is the best view on the date to be visited.
What To Expect
DMZ
Before we go into DMZ area and do ID Check, will look through Bridge of Freedom, Mangbaedan Altar which is historical sites related to Korean War.
The Third Tunnel
■DMZ(Demilitarized Zone) The 3rd Invasion Tunnel. This is walking course into the tunnel. Take your step into the 3rd tunnel which is one of thrilling tunnel as close to 1.95 meters high, 2.1 meters wide and 1,635 meters long. It was thought to be more threatening as an invasion tool than the 1st and 2nd Tunnels.
Options
Private Tour(Hotel pickup)
Private DMZ Tour : Please let us have your hotel name with address. We are available to offer hotel pick up /drop off in Seoul area at one area
Hongik univ. station (Exit 3)
8:30 am departure from : Group Tour departing from Hongik univ. subway station (Exit 3 outside) Starting point: Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3, 183 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Myeongdong station (Exit 8)
8:00 am departure : Group tour departing from Myeongdong Subway station (exit 8 outside) Starting point: Myeongdong subway station exit 8, 125 Toegye-ro, Jung District, Seoul, South Korea
What‘s Included
Admission fees to DMZ
*For groups of 10 +, free hotel pick-up is included*
Roundtrip Trasnfer from Seoul
Licensed Professional Tour Guide
Lunch
Traveler's insurance
Anything not mentioned in details
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
3,659 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great experience
P2990HUdieters,Jun 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Nice experience overall, well organized tour with a knowledgeable Guide (Jason from PLK). Would definitely recommend.
Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience!
Kelli W,Jun 28, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00I did this tour with my husband and three kids (ages 12-16). Our guide, Jason (Jaehyun), was amazing. He was informative and helpful. If you’re looking for something unique or unusual while traveling, this tour is for you. We heard from a defector from the North, went underground through an infiltration tunnel that came within 500 feet of the border, and looked into North Korea from the observatory. We also visited the Freedom Park with monuments to US soldiers that served in Korea. For me, this was worth the price and was once-in-a-lifetime.
Fantastic DMZ Experience
Seivl,Jun 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00If you’re visiting the Korean DMZ, do yourself a favour and book with Eddie. As a former military serviceman who actually served in the DMZ, he brings a level of authenticity and insight you simply won’t find elsewhere. His personal stories and first-hand experiences gave the tour real depth — this isn’t a dry history lesson, it’s a genuinely engaging window into one of the most extraordinary places on earth. Eddie has a natural ability to connect with his group and make the history feel immediate and personal. Absolutely five stars — one of the highlights of our Korea trip.
Great DMZ tour
Julia M,Jun 28, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Even though we were on a bus tour with 45-50 people, our tour guide, Eddie, kept the entire group on time and extremely organized. He provided a lot of educational information throughout the tour. Lunch was at a local restaurant that we wouldn’t have tried otherwise. One of the better big bus tours that we have taken.
Very informative and enthusiastic tour guide Eddie!
lawrync,Jun 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00As someone who typically enjoys history, this was a really cool experience. The tour lasted about 6 hours in total, but it isn’t spent walking the entire time as I had originally thought. We spent time traveling on the bus (just the drive from Myeongdong to the DMZ zone is about an hour) and were taken to a Korean food buffet place for lunch in the countryside. Our tour guide, Eddie, is extremely knowledgeable and explains everything very well and clearly. He provides his own anecdotes as well as historical facts which I found very interesting. It was also cool to listen to a North Korean defector as part of the tour. Overall, this was a very fun and informative experience that I really recommend! They make traveling and understanding history easy.
DMZ POK LEO the great tour
Mobile51482991120,Jun 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00DMZ, pOK, Leo is amazing! He has such good energy, and very well informed!!! His English is great! He seems passionate about sharing the history. Very enjoyable tour!
Interesting and varied
W8816WEericc,Jun 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Eddie is friendly and very knowledgeable about the DMZ. You can tell he cares a lot about the area, the issues, and the people.
Great experience
ainsleyl624,Jun 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Eddie was a great guide! Got to see many places but his presence elevated it all. Very knowledgeable.
Rememberable DMZ tour
floriane321,Jun 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Eddie was an awesome host. With all his bachground knowledge and personal insights he made a facinating and rememberal experiance even better.
Highly recommend
Donna S,Jun 28, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Highly recommend the DMZ half day tour. Our tour guide was Eddie and we found him to be very knowledgeable and engaging. It was a good pace with no wasted time. It is hard to pick a highlight as we throughly enjoyed it from start to finish. This is a definite highlight of our trip to South Korea.
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Operated by PLK TRAVEL