S. Korean military, UNC conduct joint probe on DMZ blast site: JCS
South Korean military and United Nations Command personnel secure an access route inside the Demilitarized Zone, Saturday, ahead of an on-site probe into a suspected land mine explosion. Courtesy of Joint Chiefs of Staff
South Korea's military has conducted a joint on-site investigation with the U.N. Command (UNC) into the cause of a suspected mine blast inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) last week, with further probes planned, officials said Sunday.
A survey team comprising some 40 personnel reached the vicinity of the suspected explosion site inside the DMZ but failed to reach the actual site of the incident, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a text message sent to reporters.
The joint probe comes just six days after the explosion occurred south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) separating the two Koreas, leaving two officers seriously injured.
The survey team — comprising South Korean troops, the UNC's Military Armistice Commission and relevant investigative agencies — inspected the area using mine detectors and conducted route-clearance operations in the DMZ from around 9 a.m. until sundown, according to the JCS.
However, the team decided to resume the operation at a later date, citing the high risk posed by the possibility of unidentified land mines in the area and the extreme fatigue of personnel involved in the operation, it added.
"The South Korean military and the UNC plan to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the incident through additional on-site inspections, and offer an objective and transparent account of the findings to the public," the JCS said.
Since the incident, the South Korean military has been gearing up for a joint probe of the explosion site with the UNC.
The blast, which occurred near the MDL in the border city of Paju, north of Seoul, happened as a dozen troops were returning from a route-clearance operation in the DMZ, according to the JCS.
The troops were clearing the route to make way for an on-site inspection by the UNC, initially scheduled for early this week, of areas south of the MDL suspected of containing land mines planted by North Korean troops.
On Saturday, the JCS said it has conducted a preliminary inspection of the site in coordination with the UNC to secure an access route before launching the joint probe into Monday's explosion.
Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul visited the 25th Infantry Division overseeing the western section of the heavily fortified border on Wednesday, followed by the JCS operations chief and the JCS chairman on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
The South Korean military has faced mounting criticism in the past week over allegations that it has intentionally delayed investigations into the suspected land mine blast.