South Korea begins mine removal operation at DMZ blast site

South Korea's military has concluded that North Korea deliberately "planted" the two mines that exploded inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) last month, injuring three soldiers. A joint operation with the United Nations Command (UNC) on Monday successfully removed additional mines planted near the blast site.

The military said GPS measurements showed that the two blast sites and the site where an additional mine was discovered were all located about 10 meters south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), suggesting they had been "planted" there rather than swept away by floods.

The mines contained TNT and thermosetting resin components consistent with North Korean mines, and fragments recovered from the injured soldiers were identical to North Korean plastic antipersonnel mines previously recovered from the Imjin River, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

Lt. Gen. Kwon Dae-won, vice chairman of the JCS, stated that the military strongly called on North Korea to offer a sincere apology and immediately remove the mines it planted in violation of the Armistice Agreement. The agreement prohibits hostile acts within, from, or against the DMZ and bans border crossings unless authorized by the Military Armistice Commission.

North Korea has been fortifying the inter-Korean border since April 2024, reinforcing fences, planting mines, and erecting anti-tank barriers along the MDL. The North has denied responsibility for the recent explosions, with Kim Yo-jong, leader Kim Jong-un's sister, dismissing Seoul's findings as a fabrication and warning of retaliation.