Foreign Ministry: Reviewing All Possible Responses to DMZ Landmine Blast, Including UN, Citing 2015 Precedent

The South Korean government announced that it is reviewing diplomatic measures, including responses through the United Nations, regarding the North Korean landmine explosion incident in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

Meeting with reporters today (October 2), a senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "This landmine incident is very unfortunate and serves as an occasion to deeply feel the importance of national security once again," adding, "There was a similar landmine incident in 2015, and we are examining past cases, present circumstances, and all available options."

The official added that the government is examining response measures "realistically, including through the United Nations."

However, the official explained that since the military's investigation has not yet been finalized, the actual diplomatic response will be decided after the final investigation results are released.

"What has been announced so far is an interim report, so we are awaiting the final announcement," the official said. "Once the final announcement is made, the Foreign Ministry will take various measures accordingly."

Regarding specific response measures, the official said, "Please refer to 2015," but drew a line, adding, "That does not mean we will do exactly the same thing. The situation is different."

In connection with this, another Foreign Ministry official mentioned that the government sent a letter to the UN Security Council in 2015, explaining to the effect that "that part can be considered as one important measure."

During North Korea's wooden box landmine provocation in 2015, the South Korean government sent a letter under the name of the South Korean Ambassador to the UN to the President of the UN Security Council, notifying the council of the incident and urging North Korea to refrain from further provocations.

Accordingly, for this incident as well, diplomatic measures such as raising the issue at the UN Security Council level could be reviewed based on the final investigation results.

The senior Foreign Ministry official reiterated, however, that the government is not simply repeating past actions, but will review response measures "realistically," taking into account the current security situation and international environment.

The senior Foreign Ministry official also answered a question regarding President Lee Jae-myung's recent remarks in an interview with US media suggesting that halting North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) development could be linked to easing sanctions against the North.

Regarding the initiative, the official stated, "I consider it creating a breakthrough to break the current deadlock," adding, "We also believe this can be an option, and we are considering how to proceed at a working level."

The senior Foreign Ministry official explained to the effect that the president's remarks do not mean neutralizing or abandoning sanctions against North Korea.

"Compared to the past, the effectiveness of sanctions has somewhat declined in the current situation, and I think he was addressing the reality that achieving denuclearization through sanctions and pressure alone is difficult," the official said.

He continued, "Sanctions themselves are not the end goal, but can be used as a means of negotiation," explaining, "Ultimately, this means sanctions can be utilized to draw meaningful denuclearization steps from North Korea."

When asked whether there is a policy difference between the phrase "nuclear-free Korean Peninsula" recently used by the government and the existing "denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," the official stated, "It is a rhetorical difference, and the substance is the same."

The official also expressed the position that security consultations between South Korea and the United States would resume in earnest in the near future.

The senior official evaluated that the frustration and grievances over pending security issues that had accumulated between the two countries were "for now resolved" through the recent South Korea-US summit, adding, "This South Korea-US summit allowed us to turn the atmosphere around."

He added, "Security issues will also be reactivated soon, and we intend to proceed with negotiations as quickly as possible as we desire."

"Both sides (South Korea and the US) well understand the complete picture of each other," he noted, reiterating, "How much has been drawn and what stage we have reached seems to depend on how you look at it. We will pursue it quickly."

(Photo courtesy of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.