South Korea Vows Response if North Korean Mines Caused DMZ Blast
Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said Seoul would take appropriate and corresponding measures if an investigation confirms that recently planted North Korean mines caused a blast that injured three South Korean troops in the Demilitarized Zone.
South Korea’s defense minister said the government would take “appropriate, substantial and corresponding” measures if investigators conclude that North Korean land mines caused a recent explosion in the Demilitarized Zone that injured three South Korean troops.
Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul made the remarks Monday after meeting Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the main opposition People Power Party, at the National Assembly. Kang stressed that the cause of the explosion has not yet been established and said the military would disclose the findings after an on-site investigation.
The Sept. 21 blast occurred near the Military Demarcation Line in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, while personnel from the Army’s 25th Infantry Division were clearing a route ahead of an inspection by the United Nations Command. Two officers suffered serious injuries and another soldier was injured. The episode involved two separate explosions in an area suspected of containing land mines.
Witness accounts have added to suspicions that a North Korean mine may have been present. Some soldiers reported seeing an object resembling a wooden-box mine near the site, while others described it differently. Brig. Gen. Hwang Ju-bong of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said one account described a wooden-box shape made of material that appeared to be plastic. He cautioned that investigators still need to determine whether the witnesses saw the same object and whether it had been buried.
Kang likewise said the conflicting testimony made it difficult to identify the device. The military has not ruled out other possibilities, including mines laid by South Korean forces decades ago. Clothing, protective equipment and other evidence from the injured soldiers have been sent for forensic analysis.
South Korean military personnel and the United Nations Command began a joint field investigation Sunday. They initially reached an area near the suspected blast point but faced the challenge of entering terrain where troops have not routinely operated for decades. A safe route must be cleared as investigators move closer to the site.
Kang also rejected opposition claims that authorities had delayed the inquiry or tried to conceal information. He said the timing reflected assessments by the United Nations Command, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and units on the ground, and promised a transparent explanation once the facts are established.
The investigation carries broader security implications because North Korea has reinforced sections of the border with fences, mines and anti-tank barriers since 2024. For now, however, Seoul’s promised response remains conditional on evidence establishing both the type and origin of the explosive device.