South Korea Demands Apology from Pyongyang After Landmine Blast Injures Three
Three South Korean personnel were injured by explosions in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) on 21 September, the military said.
Seoul claims the blasts, which occurred on the South side of the DMZ, were "highly likely" to have come from landmines laid by North Korea, a violation of the 1953 armistice that ended active combat in the Korean War. The defence ministry said it would take "corresponding measures" to halt such activity.
North Korea has denied any involvement, calling the claim "groundless" and a "farce" designed to heighten tensions. Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, accused Seoul of "cooking up" the accusations for political and military provocation and warned the South of a potential price for provoking a "farce of their own making."
The incident follows a 2015 case in which two South Korean soldiers were maimed by mines near a guard post, which Seoul again attributed to North Korea, a charge the North denied at the time. Kim Yo Jong referenced that event in her statement, suggesting Seoul is using past incidents as a pretext for escalation.
The United Nations Command, which oversees the armistice, said it would address the alleged violation through established mechanisms. "UNC remains committed to maintaining and enforcing the Armistice Agreement and preventing escalation on the peninsula," it said.
