Pushing boundary for peace
An international group of women peace activists, led by American feminist Gloria Steinem, yesterday made a rare crossing of one of the world's most militarised borders between North and South Korea.
The group of 30 activists rode by bus through the demilitarised zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas in what Steinem described as a "triumph" for peace and reconciliation.
Despite its name, the DMZ is one of the world's most heavily militarised frontiers, bristling with watchtowers and landmines, and crossings through the land border are extremely rare.
With this year marking the 70th anniversary of the division of the Korean peninsula, the women said they wanted to draw attention to the need for a permanent peace treaty to replace the armistice that halted -- but technically never ended -- the 1950-1953 Korean War.
The group, which includes Nobel peace laureates Leymah Gbowee and Mairead Maguire, has also highlighted the anguish of divided families who have had little or no contact since the separation into North and South.
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