[Anchor]

The military has carried out a decisive operation to clear North Korean landmines in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) area where an explosion recently occurred. This marks the military's first virtually substantive action against North Korea since the landmine blast. The Ministry of National Defense stated that it will take necessary measures step by step.

Reporter Kim Ayeong has the details.

[Reporter]

Along with the sound of a blast, thick gray smoke rises in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the western front, where a landmine explosion occurred.

The explosion was also captured by the military's guard post (GP) medium-range cameras and general outpost (GOP) thermal observation devices (TOD).

The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that this afternoon (October 5), it conducted an operation to detonate North Korean landmines confirmed to have been buried south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) near the site of the incident.

[Yang Jin-hyeok / Director of Operations, Joint Chiefs of Staff: "As an effective measure in response to the casualties suffered by our troops, this operation was conducted to remove North Korean mines confirmed by the UN Command to be south of the MDL."]

This is the first time the South Korean military has conducted a mine detonation operation in the DMZ. It is understood that a prior warning broadcast by the South Korean military and a notification to North Korea by the UN Command were carried out together in consideration of the Armistice Agreement and the prevention of accidental clashes.

The military maintains the position that it will continue to take necessary measures in phases, including mine clearance operations.

While the border loudspeakers dismantled last year can be brought back and reinstalled at any time, it is reportedly not an option under immediate consideration.

"While it is true that loudspeakers were effective in the past, it is also true that they caused difficulties for local residents," a military official stated, adding, "We are studying various realistic options."

A demonstration of military force against North Korea is cited as a potential countermeasure.

Options being mentioned include a firepower demonstration mobilizing conventional forces such as tanks and self-propelled howitzers, a high-power demonstration using the new Hyunmoo surface-to-surface missile, and releasing test-fire footage of the long-range air-to-surface L-SAM, which is in the final stages of development.

The military also does not appear to rule out applying pressure on North Korea by publicly conducting South Korea-U.S. combined field training exercises, whose schedules were adjusted during the joint exercises in the second half of this year.

Announcing independent cyber sanctions against North Korea was also reviewed at the National Security Council, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Unification reportedly expressed differing opinions regarding their direct connection to this landmine explosion incident.

(Video by Kim Hyeon-sang | Video Editing by Won Hyeong-hee)