The Only School Within DMZ Holds Graduation Ceremony Amidst Tensions with North Korea

Graduates of Daeseongdong Elementary School, the only school within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), pose for a commemorative photo with faculty, government, and military officials at their 55th graduation ceremony held on February 5. /Courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense

Daeseongdong Elementary School, the only school within the DMZ in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, held its 55th graduation ceremony.

The graduation ceremony took place on February 5, at the same time North Korea was conducting a military demonstration by firing coastal artillery towards the sea buffer zone in the northwest region. Despite the school being only about 400 meters (1,312 feet) from the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), the graduation ceremony was no different from any other elementary school. The five graduates who will be attending middle school outside the DMZ looked visibly upset.

The stars of the graduation ceremony were Kim Dam Hye, Park Hee Yul, Shin Eui Chang, Yeo So Yun, and Jung Yu Hwa. Kim is a resident of Daeseongdong, while the remaining four students are residents of the nearby Munsaneup, according to the military. The graduates, dressed in traditional Korean attire, received diplomas and awards for diligence, arts, sports, and good conduct. Kim aspires to be an orthopedic surgeon, Park a YouTuber, Shin a physical education teacher, Yeo a fashion designer, and Jung a barista.

In the meantime, international guests from the Ministry of Unification, 1st Infantry Division, Joint Security Area (JSA) Guard Battalion, United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission, and Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission attended, creating an unusual atmosphere.

‘The only school within the DMZ’ Paju Daeseong-dong Elementary School graduation ceremony /Courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense

In his retrospective speech, Principal Yoon Young Hee of Daeseongdong Elementary School blessed the graduates’ future: “I hope you continue to capitalize on your strengths and confidently stride towards a bright future to fulfill your dreams.”

Park said, “I’m grateful to my parents and teachers who taught and nurtured me over the past six years, and I’m thankful to my friends who spent the sixth grade with me. Let’s continue to live happily ever after our sixth grade ends,” he said in his speech.

Ms.Jung, one of the graduates, said, “Time flew by so fast. I remember my friends as they hardly changed over time. Let’s not forget each other and meet again after graduation.”

Daeseongdong Elementary School, which opened in 1968, once faced the risk of closure as the total number of students did not exceed ten. However, since 2006, it started accepting students from other regions as it was designated as a joint school district. The school has produced 226 graduates, with 30 enrolled students, five per grade.

Parents, Paju City, Paju Education Support Office, Ministry of Unification, 1st Infantry Division, JSA Guard Battalion, Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, Military Armistice Commission, and other related personnel, along with Congressman Park Jung, Paju City Vice Mayor Kim Jin Gi, and Daeseongdong Village Chief Kim Dong Gu, among some 100 attendees, were present at the graduation ceremony.

By. Young Hun Park