Joint Chiefs Confirm Mine Explosion Caused by North Korean Landmines

The Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed on October 5 that the mine explosion at the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) was caused by North Korean landmines.

Major General Kwon Dae-won, the Deputy Chief of Staff and head of the task force, stated during a briefing at the Defense Ministry that multiple assessments were conducted by the National Forensic Service due to the significance of the incident. The task force conducted a joint on-site investigation with the United Nations Command from September 26 to 29, and based on the findings and the forensic results, they announced the final investigation results today.

He added, "The UN Command also assessed that the mines were deliberately placed, with the installation date estimated to be over 12 months ago."

Kwon emphasized, "We have concluded that our soldiers, who were conducting normal operations in the DMZ, suffered significant injuries due to the anti-personnel mines installed by North Korea under the pretext of fortifying the border south of the MDL."

He also stated, "Our military has removed the North Korean minefield south of the MDL, which was recognized by the UN Command as a violation of the armistice agreement, and we will continue to carry out mine removal operations to ensure peace in the DMZ and the safety of our soldiers if North Korea does not voluntarily remove the mines it has installed in that area."

Brigadier General Kim Sung-yoon, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's Information Analysis Division, noted, "There are differences in the recognition of the MDL between the South, North, and the UN Command. We believe that the North Korean military is conducting fortification work based on the connection lines of their own markers or the MDL they recognize."

Kim also mentioned, "This year, over 50 incidents of MDL violations have been identified, with the first occurrence in the eastern region in mid-August, repeating over 40 times at one location."

The Foreign Ministry stated that Minister Park Jin presented an independent sanctions plan against North Korea's illegal cyber activities during the National Security Council meeting on October 1, which included responses to the DMZ mine explosion incident. However, they cautioned that this is still in the internal review stage and has not been finalized.

In a press release, the Foreign Ministry explained, "North Korea's illegal cyber activities are not only a major source of funding for its nuclear and missile programs but also pose a threat to the global digital economy, regardless of nationality. Our government has been responding in cooperation with the international community."