page_title: Bridge of No Return
section_title: Ceremonies on the bridge
hierarchical_section_title: Bridge of No Return / Ceremonies on the bridge
caption_attribution_description: English: A U.S. soldier participates in a ceremony on the en:Bridge of No Return, in the Joint Security Area of the DMZ of the Korean peninsula.
context_page_description: Located in the Joint Security Area, the so-called "Bridge of No Return" crosses the Military Demarcation Line between North Korea and South Korea. It was used for prisoner exchanges at the end of the Korean War in 1953. The name originates from the final ultimatum that was given to prisoners of war brought to the bridge for repatriation: they could either remain in the country of their captivity or cross the bridge to return to their homeland. However, once they chose to cross the bridge, they would never be allowed to return, even if they later changed their minds.
  The last time the bridge was used for prisoner exchanges was in 1968, when the crew of USS Pueblo was released and ordered to cross into South Korea via the bridge. The bridge was actively used by the North Koreans up until the Korean axe murder incident in August 1976, at which time the United Nations Command demanded that the Military Demarcation Line within the Joint Security Area be enforced and clearly marked. Within 72 hours, the North Koreans had built a new bridge on the northern half of the JSA and the original Bridge of No Return was no longer used.
context_section_description: U.S. Army soldiers who are stationed at Camp Bonifas or Camp Liberty Bell in the Joint Security Area are offered the opportunity to have their promotion or reenlistment ceremonies held in the center of the Bridge of No Return. The bridge is split in half by the Military Demarcation Line which separates North Korean territory from South Korean territory. During a U.S. or ROK (Republic of Korea) ceremony, two guards are posted at the Demarcation Line facing west (toward North Korea).
caption: U.S. Army Soldier posing during a 2003 ceremony at the middle of the bridge, in front of the flags of the UN, the US, and South Korea, while two guards are facing toward North Korea.
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