On a clear day, the flag is visible for miles. By day, they work their rice paddies under the watchful eyes of American and Korean sentries and also, officials hope, envious North Koreans. At dusk, however, they must return to their homes and not venture out again before sunrise the next day. For agreeing to these restrictions, they receive a generous income from the government and send a clear message to observers from the North that their land is the more prosperous one. A less obtrusive flagpole with a smaller Republic of Korea banner stands at the front of Jae Song Dong, like a David standing in defiance of the Goliath across the border.
American soldiers volunteer the duty.
Their South Korean counterparts, all black belt karate experts, are hand-picked for their size and strength. Combined, the two nations' best stand warrior-ready. If North Korea attacked South Korea, it would go up against the combined forces of the United States and Republic of Korea. The two countries train and serve together throughout the southern half of the divided peninsula. A much smaller U.S. force in-country complements the South Koreans, bolstered by military assets based elsewhere in the Western Pacific.