Military authorities have strongly urged North Korea to apologize and take responsible actions regarding an incident on September 21, where South Korean soldiers were injured by a North Korean landmine in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). They classified North Korea's ongoing border fortification efforts as a violation of the armistice agreement and warned that any future incidents would be the responsibility of North Korea.
On September 30, Major General Kang Hyun-woo, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Operations Division, stated, "On September 21, our soldiers conducting a routine search operation south of the Military Demarcation Line were seriously injured by a North Korean landmine."
He pointed out that despite the South Korean government's consistent efforts for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula, North Korea has continued to pursue border fortification, including the laying of landmines near the Military Demarcation Line. He emphasized that this escalates tensions in the border area between the two Koreas.
Kang stressed, "This is a clear violation of the armistice agreement and undermines the spirit of existing inter-Korean agreements, and it must be stopped immediately."
He also called on North Korea to cease activities that heighten tensions on the peninsula, demanding an apology and responsible actions. He made it clear that all responsibility for any future incidents lies entirely with North Korea. However, he did not outline specific military responses in his statement.
The United Nations Command also announced on the same day that, following a joint on-site investigation with South Korean forces, it determined that a violation of the armistice agreement had occurred.
The UN Command stated, "During the on-site investigation, we discovered one North Korean anti-personnel mine in the area south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) on the South Korean side," and emphasized its commitment to maintaining and implementing the armistice agreement, ensuring stability on the Korean Peninsula, and preventing heightened tensions.
Previously, on September 29, South Korean and UN forces conducted a joint investigation at the incident site and found one North Korean Sugi-type anti-personnel mine near the explosion site. The Joint Chiefs of Staff assessed that this mine was different from the one reported by the soldiers involved in the operation at the time of the incident, indicating a strong possibility that North Korean forces had established a minefield south of the MDL.
In contrast, Kim Yo-jong, deputy director of the North Korean Workers' Party, claimed in a statement that the incident was a "staged event" by Seoul, denying North Korea's responsibility.
This incident occurred on September 21 while South Korean forces were clearing a search route within the DMZ, resulting in injuries to three soldiers from a landmine explosion.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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