[Anchor]

North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to the South Korean military's final investigation results into a landmine explosion. It threatened an immediate and strong response if its territory is violated by even 1 millimeter.

Reporter Kim Ayeong has the story.

[Reporter]

Just one day after South Korean military authorities announced the final investigation results regarding the landmine explosion on the western front, North Korea issued a response.

Instead of Kim Yo-jong, Vice Department Director of the Workers' Party of Korea, who had stepped forward repeatedly following the South Korean military's interim investigation announcement, North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs came forward this time, seemingly reflecting their "two hostile states" relationship.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry once again defined the landmine explosion as a "self-fabricated farce planned and directed by Seoul," claiming it was merely a shallow ploy to pin an 'accident suffered on their own' onto the North.

It also dismissed the South's proposal to discuss the standards for the Military Demarcation Line, stating that issues of military sovereignty within its territory will not be discussed with a hostile nation.

Regarding mine clearance operations, it claimed it was none of its business, saying the South could either clear or not clear mines that have nothing to do with the North.

It went on to threaten that if military boots or Fireworks violate its territory by even 1 millimeter, its border forces would take immediate and strong responsive action, stressing that should a similar incident occur again, the responsibility would lie entirely with the side that suffered the accident.

Analysts interpret this as an effort to deny responsibility for the landmine explosion while also issuing a warning against South Korea's military actions along the Military Demarcation Line.

(Video by Oh Young-taek)