Seoul concludes North Korea responsible for DMZ mine explosions

South Korea said on Monday that North Korea was responsible for land mine explosions that injured three of its troops in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) last month, adding the incident was caused by mines recently planted by the North.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said its conclusion was based on a joint on-site investigation with the United Nations Command and forensic findings received from the National Forensic Service.

The explosion took place during a routine South Korean military operation south of the Military Demarkation Line (MDL) in the western DMZ on Sept. 21. Two troops remain hospitalized with serious injuries, while a third is receiving treatment for less serious wounds.

“In conclusion, based on the results of the joint investigation with the U.N. Command and scientific evidence, we have determined that our troops conducting routine DMZ operations sustained serious injuries from North Korean plastic anti-personnel mines planted south of the MDL, under the pretext of the North’s so-called border-fortification work,” said JCS Vice Chairman Lt. Gen. Kwon Dae-won during a briefing.

Kwon urged North Korea’s military to offer a sincere apology to the victims and immediately remove the mines it planted in the area.