Honors for Injured Soldiers Hinge on Landmine Evidence [Yang Nakkyu's Defence Club]

Injuries Must Be Proven to Be Caused by Enemy Devices for Combat Wound Classification

Marine Corps 2nd Division soldiers are searching for lost landmines at the Dwitjangsul Beach in Jumundo, Seodo-myeon, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon on the 12th. Photo by Yonhap News

Neither the South Korean military nor the United Nations Command has managed to collect the remains of landmines in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) along the Western Front. If it is not possible to verify that the mines are of North Korean origin, controversy is expected regarding the treatment and compensation of injured personnel, including the battalion commander who was wounded by a landmine explosion.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, an investigation of the accident site began on the 27th, six days after the explosion occurred. From around 9 a.m. until sunset that day, the military carried out a detailed search for landmines along the access route within the DMZ and worked to further expand the access route. While a total of about 40 personnel, including members from the Military Armistice Commission and investigators, participated in the process, they could not actually reach the estimated location of the explosion. As a result, the debris left at the scene was not recovered. Concerns have emerged in political circles that, as the investigation at the accident site was conducted only six days after the incident and since it rained in the region during that period, evidence such as landmine fragments and chemical residues may have been lost. Securing the remaining landmine fragments at the scene had been considered crucial in determining whether the explosive was a North Korean or South Korean mine.

The only remaining evidence consists of protective gear such as body armor worn by injured personnel at the time of the accident, traces of explosives, and shrapnel removed during surgery. The military is currently requesting a detailed forensic analysis by the National Forensic Service, but this is not expected to be sufficient to definitively prove that the debris belongs to a North Korean landmine. The South Korean M14 anti-personnel mine contains about 28 grams of TNT, while the North Korean wooden box mine (PMD-57) contains about 200 to 220 grams of TNT. It appears difficult to find definitive clues identifying the mine as North Korean, apart from the amount of TNT. Back in 2015, when North Korea carried out a wooden box mine attack, investigators identified clues pointing to a North Korean landmine by collecting evidence from the scene on the same day as the incident.

If the remains of the landmine cannot be found and it cannot be proved that the mine was North Korean, the treatment of wounded soldiers changes. Under the Military Personnel Act, injuries caused by hazardous devices set by the enemy are classified as combat wounds, while those from devices set by friendly forces are classified as non-combat wounds. There are differences in treatment and compensation as a result. This controversy also arose in 2015. At that time, reserve sergeant Ha Jae-heon, who lost both legs due to a wooden box mine, was initially classified as having a non-combat wound by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs in 2019. However, the classification was reversed to a combat wound upon reexamination after an appeal.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "We have continuously prepared to ensure that a thorough joint on-site investigation with the United Nations Command can be conducted while securing the safety of our personnel," adding, "We will thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident and provide a transparent explanation to the public." The statement continued, "Based on the results of future on-site investigations, we will provide objective and transparent explanations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.