South Korea's New Defense Minister Urges North to Halt Border Fortification After DMZ Blast

South Korea's newly appointed defense minister called on North Korea to halt its border-fortification activities after a suspected landmine explosion injured three South Korean military officers inside the Demilitarized Zone.

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul made the appeal Tuesday during a press availability following his inauguration. He said Seoul should speak clearly about Pyongyang's fencing and mine-laying activities, while rejecting suggestions that the South Korean military avoids criticizing the North.

Kang linked the blast to the broader risks created by North Korea's efforts to harden the inter-Korean border, but he stopped short of assigning responsibility. He said investigators still need to determine whether the suspected minefield, the patrol route used by South Korean personnel and the precise explosion site overlap. Difficult terrain in the buffer zone has also made it hard for the military to obtain clear footage of the location.

The explosion occurred Monday south of the Military Demarcation Line in the western section of the inter-Korean border. It severely injured the commander of an Army battalion, while a second officer suffered a fractured leg. A third officer sustained less serious injuries.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the officers had been clearing a route for a planned field inspection by the United Nations Command. The inspection was intended to examine locations on the southern side of the DMZ where North Korean troops are suspected of planting mines, potentially in violation of the armistice agreement.

Kang said the military had not confirmed that the blast occurred at one of those suspected locations. He emphasized that establishing the relationship among the suspected mine-laying area, the route taken by the officers and the actual blast point is central to the investigation.

The incident presents Kang with an immediate security challenge on his first day in office. His comments combined a firm public warning with caution over evidence that remains incomplete, reflecting the sensitivity of attributing an explosion inside the heavily fortified buffer zone.

Kang, a former deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, was nominated by President Lee Jae Myung on August 30. He began his official duties Tuesday with a visit to Seoul National Cemetery to pay tribute to fallen service members before attending his inauguration ceremony.