The DMZ is a relatively short drive from Seoul. It is definitely worth a visit if you happen to be in Seoul and have half a day to devote to a tour. I was surprised, however, at the extent to which the South Korean government seems to use the tours for propaganda purposes and, even more, at how commercialized the place is. I resisted the temptation (which wasn't very strong) to buy a DMZ T-shirt or a DMZ baseball cap. A disappointment from the standpoint of photography is the prohibition on taking pictures in the most interesting locations (i.e., inside the tunnel dug by the North Koreans and the view across the demarcation line into North Korea).