Fragmented, Materialized, Militarized Geopolitics of Wildfires in the Inter-Korean Border

Abstract

This study explores the geopolitics of wildfires in the inter-Korean borderland, known as the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). It is widely recognized for restricting human access, which contributes to its perception as ‘untouched’ or ‘pristine’ and in need of protection within the inter-Korean political arena. This study challenges the conventional territorial- and political–ecological imagination of the DMZ through the lens of wildfires. Contrary to being perceived as apolitical or natural disasters, wildfires in the DMZ are geopolitical events that create new possibilities for geopolitical orders both within and beyond the two Koreas. To illustrate this, the study unveils the fragmented and materialized Cold War logics of territoriality, manifested through the actions of the United Nations Command, the U.S. military, and both Koreas in the DMZ. Additionally, it explores the geopolitical materialities of wildfire intermediaries, such as landmines and military surveillance devices. These elements reveal the production and ongoing reproduction of fragmented Cold War territoriality influencing the current geopolitical order. The study posits that wildfires, intertwined with complex geopolitics, simultaneously promote rebordering and hold the potential to deconstruct the established territorialities of the DMZ and inter-Korean politics.