[Anchor]

Regarding the landmine explosion incident, North Korea's Foreign Ministry released a statement late yesterday afternoon (October 6), a day after the South Korean military announced the final results of its investigation. Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul assessed the situation by saying, "North Korea was flustered by our response." However, the opposition party criticized the administration, asking, "With several hundred North Korean landmines buried south of the Military Demarcation Line, is clearing mines really a firm response?"

Kim Tae-hoon, defense correspondent.

[Reporter]

Two days ago, two weeks after the landmine explosion incident occurred on the western front, our military announced the final findings of its investigation concluding that the mines were "planted by the North Korean military," and yesterday, a day later, North Korea's Foreign Ministry stated its position of taking a "strong response."

At today's parliamentary audit, Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul assessed the situation as follows:

[Kang Shin-chul / Defense Minister: Regarding the fact that they released a statement about a day later, I assess that they were likely quite flustered by our response....]

About a year ago, on September 23 of last year, our military used satellite imagery and other intelligence to assess the sites where the incident occurred as "areas where the North Korean military planted landmines," and Minister Kang stated that several hundred North Korean mines are believed to be buried across the entire area south of the Military Demarcation Line.

Democratic Party lawmakers leveled sharp criticism, pointing out that North Korea's "border fortification work" began in 2024, yet the Yoon Suk Yeol administration took no action at that time.

People Power Party lawmakers countered that North Korean troops had not crossed south of the Military Demarcation Line in 2024, and questioned whether the military's "mine clearance operation" was truly a "firm measure."

[Lim Jong-deuk / People Power Party Lawmaker: You responded firmly? Is this a firm response? Do you really think so, Minister?]

[Kang Shin-chul / Defense Minister: Yes, that is correct.]

The government's response also came under intense scrutiny during the parliamentary audit of the Ministry of Unification.

[Han Dong-hoon / Independent Lawmaker: What is the reason you cannot describe that as an attack?]

[Chung Dong-young / Unification Minister: My position is that the root problem must be eliminated.]

[Park Choong-kwon / People Power Party Lawmaker: Do you consider such an idiotic response to be an appropriate response?]

[Chung Dong-young / Unification Minister: Rather than an idiotic response, I believe we did what needed to be done.]

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young stated that while it is true the ministry holds differing views from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding whether to enforce cyber sanctions against North Korea, it does not amount to a clash or friction.

Camera by Kim Hyun-sang | Video editing by Lee Seung-hee