"Very High Possibility" DMZ Blast Was North Korean Mine; Military Vows Corresponding Measures

[Anchor]

An interim investigation by the South Korean military has found a very high possibility that the landmine that recently exploded in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) along the western front was laid by North Korean troops. The military stated that if it is conclusively determined to have been planted by North Korea, corresponding measures will be taken.

Our top story today, September 29, reported by Choi Jae-yeong.

[Reporter]

The military, which conducted a joint on-site investigation with the United Nations Command over the past two days on Sunday (September 27) and Monday (September 28) at the explosion site on the western front, first explained that the blast occurred roughly 10 meters south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and about 10 meters away from an area with terrain alterations where North Korean troops were recently presumed to have planted mines.

It added that two landmines had detonated and that there was a strong likelihood they were North Korean mines.

[Kwon Dae-won / Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: "We have assessed that there is a very high possibility that the cause of this landmine explosion was a North Korean landmine."]

The military noted that South Korea has no record of planting landmines in that specific area, whereas traces of North Korean troops laying mines nearby were detected in September last year.

It added that a preliminary examination by the National Forensic Service of gear belonging to the injured soldiers detected traces of TNT—a component used in North Korean wooden-box mines—while no steel fragments, which typically disperse when South Korean military mines explode, were found.

During the probe, there was also testimony that an unexploded brown "resin anti-personnel mine" was spotted about 1 meter away from the detonation site. The Joint Chiefs of Staff explained, "North Korea's 'resin anti-personnel mine' refers to a plastic anti-personnel mine that looks identical to a wooden-box mine, and it has been operated by the North Korean military since 1969."

The military emphasized that it would take corresponding measures if the explosive is ultimately confirmed to be a North Korean mine.

[Kwon Dae-won / Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: "North Korea bears full responsibility for this. Our military will carry out appropriate and corresponding measures."]

The military said it announced the interim findings first in light of the gravity of the situation, adding that the final results will be announced after a joint evaluation with the United Nations Command.

Video by Kim Hyun-sang | Video Editing by Jeon Min-gyu
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.