North Korea Denies Landmine Blast and Rejects Armistice Violation Claims
The dispute heightens military tensions across the heavily fortified border dividing the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea rejected findings by South Korea on Wednesday that blamed Pyongyang for a recent landmine explosion along the border. Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, issued a statement denying that northern troops planted the devices. The denial followed conclusions by Seoul and the United Nations Command that Pyongyang breached the armistice agreement.
The blasts occurred Sept. 21 during a patrol mission in the western section of the Demilitarized Zone. Three South Korean officers suffered injuries in two explosions about 10 meters south of the Military Demarcation Line. One officer lost a foot during the incident, according to South Korean defense officials.
Kim dismissed the accusations through the official Korean Central News Agency. She said Seoul fabricated the findings to manufacture a pretext for military and political provocations. She maintained that North Korean soldiers conducting barrier construction along the frontier had never crossed the border line. Kim also warned that border units would immediately retaliate if South Korean forces directed live fire at northern personnel.
The United Nations Command and the South Korean military conducted a joint on-site inspection of the area. Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Kwon Dae-won said investigators discovered an unexploded North Korean anti-personnel mine near the blast location. Forensic tests detected explosive residue on equipment but showed no metallic fragments typical of southern mines.
The findings led the United Nations Command to confirm an armistice violation took place. South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul told lawmakers that Seoul would implement stepped responses because North Korea bears responsibility. In 2015, a similar mine incident wounded two South Korean soldiers and prompted Seoul to resume border loudspeaker broadcasts.
South Korean operations director Kang Hyunwoo demanded that North Korea apologize and halt all border activities that raise tensions. The United Nations Command said it is handling the violation through established armistice mechanisms.
