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South Korea’s military has demanded an apology from North Korea over landmine explosions in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that injured three South Korean personnel on 21 September, according to the BBC.
Seoul said on Tuesday that the blasts occurred on its side of the DMZ and were “highly likely” caused by North Korean mines. It warned that it would take “corresponding measures”, describing the incident as a violation of the decades-old armistice that ended active fighting in the Korean War.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, South Korea called on Pyongyang to apologise and immediately halt fortification activities along the border. Seoul believes the mines were laid as part of North Korea’s efforts to strengthen its frontier.
North Korea rejects South Korean allegations
North Korea has denied responsibility, describing Seoul’s allegations as “groundless” and a “farce” intended to heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accused South Korea of “cooking up” the claims as a form of “political and military provocation”. She rejected suggestions that North Korean personnel had crossed the border to plant the mines.
Kim called Seoul’s allegation “a deliberate and planned strained assertion to shift the responsibility for escalating tension” to North Korea. Her statement, carried by state media, warned South Korea to be “prepared for paying price for the farce of their own making”.
Investigation conducted under armistice mechanisms
South Korean Defence Minister Kang Shin-chul said on Tuesday that the explosions represented a “clear” violation of the 1953 armistice.
The agreement created the 4km-wide DMZ, a buffer zone containing the Military Demarcation Line that separates the two Koreas. Sporadic clashes and mine explosions have occurred in the area over the decades.
In 2015, two South Korean soldiers were seriously injured by landmines while patrolling the zone. South Korea said North Korean soldiers had secretly planted the mines near a South Korean guard post, a claim Pyongyang denied. Kim referred to that incident, accusing Seoul of using it as a pretext to increase tensions and repeating the same tactic now.
The United Nations Command, which carried out an on-site investigation with the South Korean military, said the alleged violation would be addressed through “established Armistice mechanisms”.
“UNC remains committed to maintaining and enforcing the Armistice Agreement and fulfilling its responsibilities to preserve stability and prevent escalation on the Korean Peninsula,” it said.
