South Korea Blames North Korean Land Mines for DMZ Blast Injuring Soldiers

South Korea’s military says North Korean land mines were highly likely responsible for a September 21 explosion in the DMZ that seriously injured two South Korean soldiers and lightly injured a third. A preliminary investigation with the United Nations Command cited the blast crater, flame patterns, forensic findings and witness accounts, including a report of a brown North Korean mine near the site; officials said South Korean mines were unlikely to have caused the blast. The military said it would hold North Korea accountable and take appropriate measures if the final investigation confirms the finding.
The blast occurred about 10 metres south of the Military Demarcation Line while South Korean troops were clearing a new reconnaissance route.
According to South Korea’s military, two mines exploded and a third unexploded mine was found as soldiers withdrew from the area.
South Korea’s National Forensic Service detected TNT and a brown foreign substance in its initial analysis of the evidence.
Investigators made a second attempt to reach the blast site on Monday after an operation the previous day was unsuccessful, largely because of fading daylight and other operational limitations.
South Korean media had reported that North Korean troops restarted fortification work near the frontier in March, including laying mines and putting up fences.
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