The military reportedly halted the video transmission from its KAI Shot equipment during an investigation of a mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on September 29. This decision has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the interruption of a device intended to document the investigation and relay information to command.
According to reports from Aju Economy, the investigation team ceased video transmission for about ten minutes starting at 10:10 a.m. on September 29. The sudden interruption left the First Army Corps and the Joint Chiefs of Staff surprised as they were receiving updates on the situation. Transmission resumed around 10:20 a.m., following the conclusion of an investigation by the UN Command's Military Armistice Commission.
Sources within the military indicated that the UN Command requested the halt for operational security reasons. This was not due to communication issues but was a deliberate action based on a request made on-site.
The timing of the transmission halt coincided closely with the military's announcement of the discovery of additional mines. Yang Jin-hyuk, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's Operations Division, reported to the National Defense Committee on September 29 that at around 10 a.m., an unidentified object was identified at a search route clearing point, and one North Korean anti-personnel mine was confirmed about one meter behind the second explosion site.
This has led to suspicions within the military that the investigation team may have sought to limit the disclosure of the scale of mine placement after confirming multiple mines or minefields. Conversely, some suggest it could have been a tactical measure to reduce radio exposure from wireless transmission.
The KAI Shot is a wireless video transmission device that can be attached to soldiers' helmets to relay real-time video and audio to command. It was also used during the 2011 Operation Dawn of Aden, which rescued crew members of the Samho Jewelry, and the footage from that operation was later released.
In December 2018, it was deployed for mutual on-site verification following the withdrawal of guard posts between North and South Korea. At that time, the Blue House and the Joint Chiefs of Staff monitored the investigation footage transmitted from the North Korean guard post in real-time. Given its role in connecting the field and command, the reasons for the transmission halt and the preservation of the recorded footage are expected to be contentious issues.
Representative Yoo Yong-won of the People Power Party stated, "As suspicions grow regarding delays in investigating North Korea's MDL mine provocations and allegations of downplaying or concealing incidents, if it is true that the recording device was turned off at a critical moment of discovering mines, this is not a trivial matter."
He added, "The Ministry of National Defense must clearly explain to the public who ordered the recording to be halted, the reasons behind it, and what occurred during the time the recording was stopped."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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