South Korea demands North Korea apology over DMZ mine blast

South Korea is preparing countermeasures to press Pyongyang to apologize for a landmine explosion in the inter-Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that seriously injured two South Korean troops.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyu did not specify what steps Seoul would take. He also called on Pyongyang to hold talks to discuss discrepancies over the position of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), which divides the DMZ into two sections.

The explosion on Sept. 21 injured three South Korean troops carrying out a reconnaissance mission; two of them were reported to be in serious condition.

Investigation blames North Korean mines for explosion

Seoul said a joint investigation with the United Nations Command found that North Korean mines caused the explosion. The investigative team also discovered another active North Korean anti-personnel mine on the South Korean side of the MDL. The United Nations Command, which oversees the Korean War armistice, described the incident as a violation of the agreement.

Jeon said Pyongyang should remove mines located south of the line. He added that the two Koreas have not agreed on the MDL’s precise position and that the issue is increasing tensions. Identifying some sections of the 200-kilometer line has been difficult because access to those areas was restricted for decades. There are 1,900 markers along the line.

Pyongyang rejects allegations

South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said last week that North Korea was responsible and that Seoul would take “appropriate measures.”

North Korea has rejected the allegations. According to a report carried by state news agency KCNA on Friday, Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, called Seoul’s claims groundless and said Pyongyang had not deliberately laid mines in the border area. She previously accused South Korea of fabricating the investigation’s findings and warned that any shooting at North Korean troops would be met with an “immediate and merciless” response. Kim Yo Jong also called the demand for an apology “vile.”

The remarks could dampen hopes of improved relations, as South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has called on Pyongyang to return to dialogue.

Since 2024, when Kim Jong Un declared South Korea his country’s “principal enemy,” North Korean forces have laid mines and built anti-tank barriers along the frontline in an effort to isolate the border completely.