Cheong Wa Dae stated regarding the recent suspected landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that "the investigation is proceeding objectively, swiftly, and thoroughly."

A senior Cheong Wa Dae official accompanying President Lee Jae-myung on his state visit to Mexico emphasized at a press center in Mexico City on September 24 local time that there is no basis whatsoever to raise suspicion over the investigation, while noting that only basic facts had been reported due to being on the overseas tour.

The official cited the dangers of the site as the reason for the delay in the investigation.

The official explained that while past landmine accidents occurred along regularly patrolled routes, allowing investigative personnel to be dispatched immediately, the site of the latest accident is a hazardous area where a new route was being cleared, requiring a cautious approach.

The official also stated that the investigation is being conducted jointly with the United Nations Command, stressing that there could never be any hidden motive or act of concealing and covering something up.

The official added that they would release the findings promptly.

Regarding Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul's stance of "leaving all possibilities open" concerning who planted the mine, the official said, "We share the same opinion."

Addressing ongoing media reports citing expert assessments that the mine was planted by North Korea, such as a wooden-box mine, the official pointed out that it is an extremely complex and specialized matter, and that without visiting the site, there is a possibility of reaching misleading conclusions.

The official cautioned that if speculative reporting is politically amplified, it could ultimately lead to misguided solutions, urging that judgments should be made based primarily on facts.

Earlier, at around 10:50 a.m. on September 21, two suspected landmine explosions occurred in an area adjacent to the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, under the jurisdiction of the Army's 25th Infantry Division, leaving two people seriously injured, including a reconnaissance battalion commander, and one slightly injured.

Written by So Hwan-uk | Video Editing by Lee Gi-eun | Design by Lee Sumin | Produced by SBS Digital News