Five Soldiers Wounded in Grenade Explosion
By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
Five soldiers were wounded Sunday when a grenade exploded in their barracks in a guard post near the inter-Korean border, Gangwon Province.
The pre-dawn blast embarrassed the Army, as the fragmentation grenade, designed to disperse shrapnel upon explosion, is not allowed in a military post.
Military officials said that a solider might have forgotten to return the weapon or threw it on purpose.
``We are investigating the exact cause of the accident,'' a military officer said on the condition of anonymity. ``But there is virtually no possibility of an attack by North Korea.''
A group of 27 military officers was conducting an investigation, he added.
The explosion, which took place at around 1:50 a.m., left four soldiers slightly wounded but caused serious injuries to the neck and head of a 21-year-old serviceman.
Soldiers engaged in general posts near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) are given 75 rounds of ammunition and one hand grenade before their scouting operations and must return them after their duties.
Three years ago, eight soldiers died and four others were wounded as their colleague tossed a grenade and fired a gun at another frontline Army unit.
Pfc. Kim Dong-min later confessed that the shooting rampage was triggered by verbal assaults from his superiors. He was sentenced to death.