Life in the Korean village is close to the Korean side

Despite many troubles such as the propaganda loudspeaker 24/7, Taesung villagers also enjoy many benefits when living close to Korea.

North Korea's national anthem spills across the rice fields surrounding the village of Taesung , South Korea. Broadcasting sounds are so loud that 24/7 houses in this village have to be built with thick walls for sound insulation, according to CNN.

Also known as the "Freedom Village" , this is the only residential area in Korea located in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) of 258km long and 4km wide, separating Korea and South Korea. At the nearest point, this village is just over 450m from the Korean border.

Homes in Taesung village.(Photo: CNN).

Korean peninsula tensions escalated last month after Pyongyang threatened to fire four missiles near the US territory of Guam in the western Pacific. Tension is boiling again when the nuclear test for the sixth time on September 3.

Cho Young-sook, owner of a restaurant in Taesung, is one of 197 Koreans living here. She moved to this village 38 years ago, after marrying a local man - the only way to be allowed to move to this special community.

She was quite worried about the stress."We find the situation worrisome. We lock the door at night, something we didn't do before," Choo said.

Taesung Village is located in the Inter-Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).(Graphics: CNN).

Propaganda war

The propaganda war between the two Koreas has never been quiet. In addition to setting up a loudspeaker system aimed at each other's territory, over the years, the two countries also have a competition on the height of the flagpole. Korea is winning with the high flagpole 165m - one of the tallest flagpoles in the world.

It was built in the Korean village of Kijong in the DMZ. People in Taesung village said that sometimes they saw many people coming to Kijong village but it was unclear whether they were civilians or soldiers. Korea also has a loudspeaker system aimed at North Korea but the volume is not as big.

Taesung is a rice-growing area that has existed for generations but since 1953, when the Korean War ended, the Korean peninsula was divided into two separate countries, people in this village lived with Permanent threats change every aspect of their lives.

Farmers here need Korean soldiers to escort them when they go to the field because they just miss a step, they can get lost in Korean territory. A stream lies between the rice fields that mark the true border between the two countries.

People must obey the curfew in the middle of the night and their homes can be checked by soldiers every night. They must also go through security checkpoints every time they enter and exit the village. A bus came to pick them up twice a day.

These are not useless precautions because each of the two Korean soldiers arrested the people in Taesung village. In 1997, a Taesung mother and son were captured by Korean soldiers while picking acorns. They were released five days later. In 1975, a 20-year-old farmer was also arrested. North Korea said that the person deliberately crossed the border to enter Korea, so he has not returned.

Along with risk, people living in Taesung also enjoy many benefits. Because this village is under the control of the United Nations Command, not the Korean government, people with at least 240 days a year are not taxed and exempt from military service.

Few people want to speak in front of camera lenses and some people don't even want to talk to the press. They are concerned that whatever they say or do may be misunderstood by North Korea and will put them in a state of attention that is undesirable.

"We just gathered and watched TV because there was a lot of tension-related news with Korea. We felt a bit nervous at this time," said Ms. Cho.

Outside Cho's restaurant is a reminder of the constant risk that villagers face: a bomb shelter containing a gas mask and essentials in an emergency. Villagers also regularly attend evacuation drills.

However, Cho never intended to leave Taesung."Unlike other villages, young people here don't leave, community spirit is also very good. That's why I like this place," Cho said.

Craft class in school in Taesung village.(Photo: CNN).

"Constructed dream zone"

Taesung Village is also proud of a school here. The school has 12 teachers who teach 35 students, equipped with new tablets, better facilities than the average elementary and kindergarten schools in Korea.

Three DMZ characters are mounted on the wall of the classroom but it is not an acronym for Demilitarized zone but short for Dream Making Zone.

Students here are more interested in making felt bags rather than worrying about their neighbors. When asked, do you feel afraid when you live near North Korea, if you are afraid, you may say no.

Principal Jin Young-jin said the teachers no longer describe Korea as an evil country.

"We emphasize the importance of uniting the two Koreas. Many students hope that Korea and Korea will unify in the near future , " Jin said.

The children here understand the danger but this does not seem to affect their hopes and dreams.

A poster hung on the wall lists the jobs that students want to pursue when they grow up. The desire that most of them choose is baseball players, followed by soccer players, nurses, engineers, the only one who wants to be a soldier.