Above is the view of the street just outside the exit from Samgakji station; at first I wasn't sure which direction to head. The travel guide helped out yet again by showing which direction the famous statue of two brothers was from the exit. As it turned out the War Memorial is directly adjacent to the statue, so it's easy enough to find by heading that way. However the statue itself was fenced off when I visited, possibly in conjunction with the concert that was being held in the evening (and which tickets were required for).
Being that it's open air too, it was a nice and relaxed feel as I made my way around the courtyard to look at all the exhibits as it were. A lot of Korean families were present too, so it was an opportunity to see how they look at such an outdoor museum. Many children were happy to play on the gun turrets that were on display elsewhere, as well as climb up to look at tanks more closely. To have these machines designed for killing turned into something that children can enjoy was very peculiar. While climbing out of an armored personnel carrier's back, one little boy even smiled and greeted me with an 'anyung haseyo'. So going to the War Memorial can be a chance to interact with Korean people as well. One father even took stopped with his son and offered to take a picture of me alongside an airplane. I was very greatful for his assistance, which had been unsolicited but very appreciated.



Another thing that surprised me was that there weren't only South Korean and UN planes and vehicles to see. Captured North Korean aircraft and tanks were also present. Included in the assorted Communist exhibits was the above MiG fighter, which was flown by a North Korean pilot who accepted an offer to defect to the South in 1953. According to the plaque this is the actual airplane, not a replica, so you can actually touch history! Not to mention getting to see and touch something that was once in North Korea. A very unexpected but oddly cool experience; there were also Soviet and Chinese-manufactured tanks, including the T-34 seen below.




What impressed me most was just the sheer number of things to see and do outside the actual museum and its exhibits. Not only are there airplanes, tanks and APCs, but also rockets, a full scale mockup of a Korean warship to tour, a North Korean semi-submarine, and naval guns you can actually sit in. A full size turret is there, and you can climb inside to see how cramped it really is to be in one. The last picture above was taken out of the turret's top hatch.
What impressed me most was just the sheer number of things to see and do outside the actual museum and its exhibits. Not only are there airplanes, tanks and APCs, but also rockets, a full scale mockup of a Korean warship to tour, a North Korean semi-submarine, and naval guns you can actually sit in. A full size turret is there, and you can climb inside to see how cramped it really is to be in one. The last picture above was taken out of the turret's top hatch.
It's easy to forget that the rest of the museum exists when you're having a look at everything outside the building. I probably spent an hour and a half going around to see all that had been set out and learning about the different vehicles and weapons. Indoors the museum is also pretty cool, but that will be reserved for another blog that will be forthcoming soon. All in all I can heartily reccommend adding the War Memorial to your To-Do list if you have an interest in modern Korean history.
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