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.

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.

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July 28, 2025 – 16:30 EDT

North Korea’s top officials have issued their first official response to the South’s new administration — and it’s a firm rejection. Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, dismissed outreach efforts from South Korea’s newly elected President Lee Jae Myung, stating that there is “no interest” in dialogue under current circumstances.

Her remarks underscore Pyongyang’s continued focus on bolstering ties with Russia and building its military capabilities, while casting doubt on any near-term resumption of inter-Korean or U.S.-North Korea diplomacy.

North Korea uninterested in talks, blames South’s alliance with the U.S.

In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Monday, Kim Yo Jong declared that North Korea sees no reason to engage with Seoul, accusing the South of maintaining a confrontational stance despite gestures of goodwill.

“We clarify once again the official stand that no matter what policy is adopted and whatever proposal is made in Seoul, we have no interest in it and there is neither a reason to meet nor an issue to be discussed,” Kim stated.

Kim criticized what she described as Seoul’s “blind trust” in its alliance with the United States, likening the liberal administration of President Lee to its conservative predecessors in terms of policy toward Pyongyang.

This is the first formal reaction from North Korea to the Lee administration, which took office in June 2025 with a promise to pursue improved relations with the North.

Lee Jae Myung’s efforts fail to gain traction

President Lee has made several initial moves aimed at easing tensions, including halting anti-Pyongyang loudspeaker broadcasts at the border and repatriating North Koreans who had drifted south. His administration has also tried to curb activist groups from sending propaganda leaflets into the North via balloons — a move that had previously provoked harsh responses from Pyongyang.

Despite these conciliatory steps, North Korea’s leadership appears unmoved.

While Kim Yo Jong did acknowledge the “sincere efforts” of the South’s new government, she accused it of continuing to plot “confrontation” and criticized upcoming South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises, which Pyongyang routinely denounces as rehearsals for invasion.

Tensions rise over military drills

In response to North Korea’s statement, President Lee met with Unification Minister Chung Dong-young to discuss potential next steps. Chung later said he would suggest to the president that Seoul and Washington consider “adjusting” their military training schedule, possibly to encourage Pyongyang to return to the negotiating table.

However, any reduction in joint exercises is likely to face backlash from South Korea’s conservative bloc, which sees the drills as essential in deterring the North’s growing nuclear capabilities.

“Conservatives view such moves as dangerous appeasement,” said Moon Seong Mook, a senior analyst at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy. “Kim Yo Jong’s comments signal that Pyongyang is seeking a rupture between Seoul and Washington — something it has long desired.”

Moon added that unless sanctions are lifted, North Korea has little incentive to engage in dialogue that does not offer tangible economic benefits, such as resuming shuttered inter-Korean economic projects.

Focus shifts to Russia amid diplomatic freeze

Since the breakdown of nuclear talks between Kim Jong Un and former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2019, North Korea has shifted its focus from diplomacy to strengthening ties with Russia and building up its military arsenal.

Recent reports indicate that Pyongyang has provided arms and troops to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. In return, North Korea is believed to be receiving much-needed food, fuel, and potentially military technology — though these reports have not been independently verified.

Experts say this alignment with Moscow may help Kim Jong Un offset international sanctions but also signals Pyongyang’s decreasing interest in re-engaging with Washington or Seoul.

“Kim Yo Jong’s comments are meant to reinforce national pride and justify their weapons programs,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. “They aim to portray North Korea as strong and self-reliant, even as the country faces severe economic hardship and growing international isolation.”

Possibility of future diplomatic shifts?

Despite the firm rejection of Seoul’s overtures, some experts suggest that North Korea may still be open to adjusting its strategy, depending on how international developments unfold.

Kwak Gil Sup, director of the One Korea Center — a think tank focused on North Korean affairs — believes Pyongyang may unveil new diplomatic strategies at the next plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party, expected to take place in early 2026.

“North Korea may be preparing alternative plans — a Plan B or Plan C — for its relations with the U.S. and South Korea,” Kwak said.

However, any such shift would likely depend on significant changes in the geopolitical landscape, such as eased sanctions, altered U.S. policy, or a strategic recalibration within the Kim regime.

Conclusion: A familiar stalemate, deeper divisions

The latest statement from Kim Yo Jong reinforces a familiar pattern in inter-Korean relations: hopeful outreach from the South met with cold dismissal from the North. With Pyongyang now aligning itself more closely with Moscow and continuing to reject Seoul’s proposals, prospects for renewed diplomacy remain slim.

Observers caution that without meaningful incentives or shifts in regional dynamics, North Korea will likely continue to pursue its military ambitions and use international partnerships — particularly with Russia — to bypass Western pressure.

Source: AP News – Kim Jong Un’s sister rejects outreach by South Korea’s new president

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