By Angela Montefinise

In October of 1993, Congressman Gary Ackerman went on a mission of mercy – and made history in the process.

The former Pomonok resident became the first American to cross the infamous Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Korea – the infamous border that divides North and South Korea.

The heavily fortified border, which is located on the globe’s 38th parallel and was created as part of the armistice that ended the Korean War in 1953, not only keeps the industrial South separate from the Communist North, but also symbolizes the emotional pain that the Korean people have endured.

Ackerman, who at the time was concerned about the possibility of the North arming itself with nuclear weapons, crossed the parallel to discuss the situation with North Korean President Kim Il Sung. He was only the second American in history to meet with the North Korean leader.

He said in 1993, “I went for several reasons. We have grave concerns about the nuclear problem. North Korea is the first real case of a country threatening to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. If the country goes nuclear, there’s a tremendous potential for a nuclear arms race between the North, the South, Korea and Japan.”

But while foreign affairs and world politics were major topics of conversation at the historic meeting, Ackerman also had the Queens community on his mind.

He said in 1993, “With so many Korean Americans in Queens, I was concerned. Throughout the years, they’ve told me in quiet moments that they have a mother, brother or sister left behind after the partition of Korea.”

During dinner with Il Sung, Ackerman handed a list of Queens Korean Americans who were worried about relatives and loved ones in North Korean. Ackerman asked if Il Sung could discuss the fates of those loved ones – he agreed.

Ackerman is greeted by North Korea officials after making his historic walk across the DMZ.

Ackerman called the historic meeting a success, although it wasn’t one of his easiest victories.

The entire time that Ackerman and his entourage – including Tribune Associate Publisher Michael Nussbaum – were near the 38th Parallel in South Korea, they were surrounded by United States soldiers, just in case of a shooting.

Once Ackerman walked over the one foot wide, three inch tall barrier that divides the Korean people, he was told by a North Korean general not to look directly in the eyes of North Korean troops. Ackerman said that he was told, “It might provoke them into shooting me.”
Once on the North side, Ackerman was watched carefully by soldiers in uniform, weapons close by.

None of that threw Ackerman off his game, though. After calmly touring both nations and meeting with Il Sung, he hopped on the barrier, straddled it, saluted both sides, and then walked back into South Korea.

But before he left for good, he left behind a bit of himself for the North Koreans to remember. He quickly pinned a Big Apple pin on a surprised North Korean officer before jumping over the barrier.

That pin wasn’t the only thing Ackerman left in Korea.
He left behind the legacy of breaking the barrier and crossing the DMZ for the first time. Many have taken the walk since, but they were all walking in his footsteps.
In 1993, after his historic trip, Ackerman said, “If indeed this contributes to a better understanding, and I suspect it did, then it’s worth an entire career.”