South Korea may take North Korean mine attack issue to UN
Maj. Gen. Yang Jin-hyuk, director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, briefs reporters on the final findings of a joint investigation into the recent land mine explosions in the Demilitarized Zone at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Tuesday that South Korea is considering calling on the United Nations to take action against North Korea for planting land mines south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).
He made the remarks during a parliamentary audit of the foreign ministry, following the South Korean military concluding on Monday that North Korean troops had planted land mines south of the MDL in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The mines exploded on Sept. 21 and seriously injured several South Korean soldiers. The U.N. Command (UNC) determined that placing the mines violated the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement.
Cho said the government is considering imposing unilateral sanctions targeting North Korea, as well as sending a letter to the president of the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) to call for U.N.-level action.
When asked what actions would be possible, Cho said, "If the issue is dealt with at the UNSC, it could lead to a statement by the UNSC chief or the adoption of a resolution. Or we could just send a letter or not do it at all ... We are reviewing all four options."
Cho said holding North Korea accountable and preventing an unnecessary escalation of tensions should go hand in hand. He described the objectives as “two sides of the same coin,” saying the government would continue efforts on both fronts.
Cho also backed the need for the two Koreas and the UNC to jointly manage MDL markers, saying Seoul has been discussing the issue with the command but Pyongyang has not responded to the proposal.