UNC deputy commander stresses careful, transparent approach after DMZ mine blast

Key facts

• Lt. Gen. Scott Winter stressed careful and transparent planning and communication.
• The remarks followed a Sept. 21 mine blast in the DMZ that injured three South Korean soldiers.
• The UNC investigates cross-border incidents under the Armistice Agreement.
• The UNC communicates with the North Korean military twice daily.

The deputy commander of the U.S.-led United Nations Command (UNC), Lt. Gen. Scott Winter, has highlighted the necessity of "careful and transparent" planning and communication in managing incidents along the inter-Korean border. His remarks came in the wake of a land mine explosion on September 21 within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that injured three South Korean soldiers, two of them severely. Winter stated on a podcast that this approach is vital to prevent such incidents and to avoid any perception of provocation or escalation. The UNC is tasked with overseeing the Military Demarcation Line and the DMZ. While Seoul has attributed the blast to North Korea, the UNC has confirmed an armistice violation due to an antipersonnel mine found on the southern side of the MDL. Winter noted that the UNC maintains regular communication with the North Korean military twice daily.