SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea has denied responsibility for land mines that injured three South Korean soldiers in the Demilitarized Zone, rejecting Seoul’s preliminary finding that North Korean mines were highly likely to have caused the explosions.
The dispute followed two explosions on Sept. 21 in the western section of the DMZ, near the Military Demarcation Line. Three South Korean soldiers were injured, two of them seriously, while clearing a route for a joint inspection involving South Korean forces and the U.S.-led United Nations Command.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said its preliminary investigation found that North Korean resin anti-personnel mines were highly likely to have caused the blasts.
North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong, the sister of leader Kim Jong Un, rejected the assessment on Wednesday, accusing Seoul of fabricating evidence and creating a pretext for military provocation.
South Korea links explosions to North Korean mines
The South Korean military’s preliminary assessment was based on an examination of fragments and other evidence recovered at the site.
Investigators found brown residue but no metal fragments or shrapnel consistent with the types of mines used by South Korea, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The military therefore assessed that North Korean resin mines were highly likely to have caused the explosions.
South Korean officials said the mines were believed to have been placed south of the Military Demarcation Line as part of North Korea’s continuing border-fortification activities.
A follow-up inspection on Sept. 29 uncovered another North Korean resin anti-personnel mine near the blast site. South Korean authorities said at least four mines were identified at or around the area, including the two that exploded.
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The findings have not been accepted by Pyongyang.
Three soldiers were injured in the explosions
The blasts occurred while South Korean troops were working in the western DMZ.
Two soldiers suffered serious injuries, while a third sustained less severe injuries. The soldiers were involved in an operation connected with clearing and inspecting the area after concerns arose over possible mines placed across the border.
The presence of additional mines complicated efforts to reach the explosion site and collect evidence.
The incident highlights the continuing physical danger along the Korean border, where mines from the Korean War era remain alongside newer mines and other military fortifications.
North Korea rejects Seoul’s accusation
Kim Yo Jong called South Korea’s assessment a “conspiratorial farce” and accused Seoul of making groundless allegations.
She also said North Korean soldiers had not crossed the border, rejecting the implication that they had entered South Korean-controlled territory to place the mines. North Korea has been reinforcing its border with fences, mines and anti-tank barriers as Pyongyang has hardened its position toward Seoul.
Kim additionally warned that North Korean border units would respond with what she described as immediate retaliation if South Korean forces fired on North Korean troops carrying out border construction work.
The warning came after South Korean forces used broadcasts and warning shots in response to North Korean soldiers working near the Military Demarcation Line.
UN Command identifies an armistice violation
The United Nations Command separately said its joint investigation with South Korea had identified an active North Korean anti-personnel mine on the South Korean side of the Military Demarcation Line.
The command determined that an Armistice Agreement violation had occurred and said it was addressing the matter through established armistice mechanisms.
The UN Command’s statement requires an important distinction, however. Its announcement specifically referred to the active North Korean mine discovered during the follow-up investigation when determining that an armistice violation had occurred. It did not independently state that the Sept. 21 explosions themselves had been conclusively proven to have been deliberately caused by North Korea.
The Armistice Agreement prohibits hostile acts within, from or against the DMZ and restricts unauthorized crossings of the Military Demarcation Line.
Seoul demands an apology
South Korea has demanded that North Korea apologize and take measures to prevent a recurrence.
Kang Hyun-woo, director of operations at South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the military considered the incident a violation of the armistice and urged Pyongyang to stop its border-fortification activities.
Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said South Korea would consider corresponding measures if a complete investigation confirms that North Korean mines caused the blast.
That leaves the precise attribution of the Sept. 21 explosions subject to the completion of the investigation, even though Seoul has already publicly assigned responsibility and the UN Command has separately confirmed an armistice violation connected with the discovery of the North Korean mine.
Border tensions remain elevated
The mine dispute comes amid intensified military activity along the inter-Korean border.
North Korea has been strengthening its frontier since 2024, including laying mines and constructing fences and anti-tank barriers. South Korean authorities have also reported repeated instances of North Korean troops approaching or crossing the Military Demarcation Line during border work.
The latest dispute adds another point of friction between governments that have limited direct military communication. North Korea has rejected Seoul’s accusations while warning that further firing on its border personnel could trigger retaliation.
For now, the available evidence establishes that three South Korean soldiers were injured by the Sept. 21 explosions, that South Korea’s military considers North Korean mines highly likely to have caused them, and that an active North Korean mine was subsequently found on the South Korean side of the Military Demarcation Line.
North Korea continues to deny responsibility.
Reporting Credit: South Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff; South Korea Ministry of National Defense; United Nations Command; Korean Armistice Agreement mechanisms.
