South Korea Blames North Korean Mines for DMZ Blast; Pyongyang Denies Involvement

South Korea has demanded an apology from North Korea after a Sept. 21 mine explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone injured three South Korean soldiers, two of them severely.

The blast occurred about 10 metres south of the military demarcation line while the soldiers were conducting a search operation. South Korea’s military said forensic evidence, the crater and flame patterns, the injuries and a witness report of a brown resin antipersonnel mine near the main explosion site made it “highly likely” that North Korean mines caused the blast. Investigators found brown residue but no metal fragments or shrapnel, which officials said suggested South Korean mines were not responsible.

The US-led United Nations Command, which oversees the 1953 Korean War armistice, said a joint investigation with South Korea had identified a live North Korean antipersonnel mine south of the demarcation line. It said an armistice violation had occurred and that the matter was being addressed through established mechanisms.

South Korea called on Pyongyang to take “responsible measures” and halt mine-laying and border fortification activities. Its military said North Korea would bear full responsibility if the final investigation confirmed its responsibility for the incident.

North Korea denied involvement. Kim Yo-jong, the sister of leader Kim Jong-un, called the incident a South Korean “self-staged farce” and accused Seoul of fabricating evidence. She said North Korean soldiers had not crossed the border and warned of retaliation if South Korean troops fired directly at them.