Unification ministry reaffirms peaceful coexistence policy despite DMZ blast

"The ministry will steadfastly pursue peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula," the ministry said, while vowing to work with other government agencies to take "necessary measures to prevent the repeat of such tragic incidents."

"Ending decadeslong hostility and confrontation and creating a peace where there is no need to fight each other is the most realistic way to protect the lives and safety of our people," the ministry said.

Minister Chung Dong-young curtailed his European work trip that was due to last until Monday and is set to return home later in the day to handle the aftermath of the blast, which wounded three South Korean soldiers.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Wednesday blamed the North for the blast, calling it a "blatant violation" of the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. The South also demanded an apology from Pyongyang.

An official at the ministry told reporters that the minister had been briefed promptly on the developments and decided to return early at this "important time" to manage inter-Korean relations and respond to the situation.