Camp Greaves: An Abandoned Military Base With An Artistic Future In The Korean DMZ

The DMZ has never been calling to me so much as it has this year. I didn’t visit the area for most of the past decade living in Korea and somehow have been quite a few times in just mere months. Here’s the thing, I like authentic historical sites and have never been interested in the touristy/photo zone spots and somehow the DMZ mingles between both. It’s an odd thing for me to go someplace that has so much meaning for separated families and people that fought here, then to see an amusement park and photo zones really throws me. Some areas along the line are worth the trip and some just rub me the wrong way for whatever reason.

A few weeks ago, I saw a rather short article in a newspaper about Camp Greaves (캠프 그리브스), formerly an American military base that was in use for fifty years here in Korea up in the DMZ area that had been converted into an arts and culture complex. Now that sounded intriguing.

Take a trip to a former American military installation near the DMZ that is now a cultural and arts center:

• How to get there
• The History
• What To See Now
• Find Out More
  • Regenerated Spaces In Korea
  • Visit The DMZ

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How To Get There

Address: 137 Jeoksipja-ro, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do (경기도 파주시 군내면 적십자로 137)

Shuttle Bus: If you don’t have a car, the first thing to note is that you’ll need to figure out transportation out to Imjingak. Currently, the easiest way out there is to get a shuttle bus from Seoul. Visitors hoping to visit Camp Greaves cannot just head up to the base which is important to note.

Once you’ve arrived at Imjingak, you’ll take the DMZ Gondola. To take the ride, you’ll need to show your ID/Passport and then once to the other side, you can visit Camp Greaves.

• Address: 148-73 Imjingak-ro, Munsan-eub, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do (경기 파주시 문산읍 임진각로 148-73)
• Hours: Weekdays: 10:00am ~ 6:00pm; Weekends: 9:00am ~ 6:00pm
• Admission: W7,000 ~ W14,000 (Price depends on whether you choose the glass bottom or the regular.)

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The History

The unit that had been stationed there was relocated in 2004 and through the DMZ Peace Platform Project, Camp Greaves became a complex of art, culture and history. This was especially intriguing and I couldn’t help but wonder what exactly had been done to the military base that sits in the Paju Civilian Control Zone just two kilometers from the DMZ South Limit Line.

Camp Greaves is inside of the Paju Civilian Control Zone  so visitors must take provided transport from the Imjingak Resort area. It is at Imjingak that you’ll find a strange battle between touristy and historical. Built in 1972, visitors can find the Bridge To Freedom where Koreans seeking the south crossed after the signing of the Armistice Agreement. Flags, relics and banners decorate the entrance to the bridge that is now closed.

What To See Now

The base contains various structures with a variety of American architectural styles from 1950’s into the 1990’s. There are exhibitions in the various buildings but depending on when you visit you may or may not see all of the buildings.

On our first trip to Camp Greaves, the first building we went to featured Jeonbigo Project #1: Floating Tree. The artist Kim Myeongbeom used a dead tree with exposed dead roots that have been lifted from the ground by a group of red balloons. The balloons are resurrecting the tree and bringing it back to life. It is a stunning piece that will be on display until June 31, 2019.

Head further in and there are more works in various ammunitions bunkers. There are also some that house more Korea War centered information. The entire space is a different way to learn about the Korean War and that’s why I appreciate it.

Between the bunkers and buildings that held artistic works that brought both hope and sadness to mind are buildings that offer more explanations on the Korean War. One hall is a room of numbers or key statistics for the Korean war and is a reminder of the significance of that war on the peninsula. There are spaces that hold memorabilia, films, and photographs from Camp Greaves when it was in use between 1953 and 2004. These spaces were interesting to me and definitely more along the lines of how I appreciate learning about such history.

Tanyakgo Project #1: Playground 0 also by the artist Kim Myeongbeom is a jungle gym like space inside of a hollow space that is quiet when visitors are quiet but can be quite noisy when visitors are noisy. The sound bounced from wall to wall. The information explained that “the artist aims to examine how subjects in our surroundings are remembered by listening into the whispers of objects and their intimate conversations.”

One of the final spaces held Media Project #1: Child Soldier. It was pretty jarring and sad and if you take children, spend more time looking at the first space in the installation. “In this work, the “weakest possible image” of North Korea was created. An image so weak that it cannot be used politically becomes an “impure” image.”

After seeing the various artistic works, there was also a building with more Korean War history and memorabilia that we were able to tour near the hostel on the grounds. Yes, you can actually stay in a hostel in Camp Greaves. It is the only accommodation located within a restricted area for civilians. The camp also offers diverse programs including educational programs.

The second time we went, the bunkers and buildings we’d seen before we were in a construction phase and being regenerated and we were welcomed into yet another building that we hadn’t seen the first time.

What used to be a bowling alley where US soldiers enjoyed free time is now a gallery. We saw the exhibition, ‘TIME LOST, TIME REGAINED’ with artworks regarding war on the peninsula and the continued division and the hope for peace in the future.

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Find Out More

Regenerated Spaces In Korea

If you like seeing places and spaces that are being reused in a different way, check out B39 in Bucheon which was formerly a trash facility turned arts and culture space. So many cool things to see in Korea that’s for sure. If you’re headed on a roadtrip into Jeolla, then stop into the paper factory that has now been turned into the Sansok Lighthouse arts and culture complex. There are really so many cool reclaimed spaces in Korea right now, they’re a must visit. Or you can find the artistic spots that are in forests like the Gimpo Sculpture Park.

Visit The DMZ

If you are looking for a DMZ destination that I think is both educational and accurate and provides some insight into the war, I’d head to Cheorwan. It’s a bit of a trek, but not impossible to do for a day trip from Seoul. I did it many years ago, but it is still one of those places that I remember vividly.

If you want to have an even easier time getting out and about in the DMZ, definitely join a tour group. Technically, you cannot just go into the DMZ or the Civilian Controlled Zone on your own anyway so you have to be in a group. Taking the gondola and visiting Camp Greaves is the only place you can go without a tour currently.

If you want a tour that goes further into the DMZ, you can either join one that will pick you up in Seoul so it’s super easy, or make your way out to Imjingak in Paju on your own and then get on a bus from there. Some options for DMZ tours that I would recommend include:

• Klook offers half day tours that include transportation to and from Seoul as well as stops at Imjingak, the Freedom Bridge, the 3rd Tunnel, Dora Observatory and Dora Station.
• Join the full day Klook tour that stops at Imingak, the 3rd Tunnel, Dora Observatory and Station, Unification Village and the Peace Observatory near the Northern Limit Line.
• If you want to make your way out to Camp Greaves, get a shuttle bus ticket that will get you out to Imjingak where you’ll have to find the area to sign up for the FREE bus to Camp Greaves.

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