Interim Report on Mine Explosion... Unresolved Issues Remain [Yang Nakgyu's Defence Club]

Key Evidence Needed to Confirm North Korean Mine

Intent Behind the Incident—Lost or Planted—Is Critical

Resuming Loudspeaker Broadcasts Carries Political Risks for Government

Photo of the 'Landmine Explosion Crater' revealed at the Joint Chiefs of Staff briefing on the 'Demilitarized Zone Landmine Explosion Accident' held at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Joint Chiefs of Staff

Military authorities have announced the interim investigation results of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) mine explosion incident. While a final report is expected soon pending further deliberation with the United Nations Command, experts point out that a decisive piece of evidence—a "smoking gun"—is needed to confirm the mine was North Korean and to determine an appropriate response.

Kwon Daewon, Deputy Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Lieutenant General, Republic of Korea Army), who heads the joint investigation task force for the DMZ mine explosion incident, stated during a briefing at the Ministry of National Defense on the evening of September 28, "Based on the on-site investigation conducted so far, we have determined that it is highly likely the cause of this mine explosion was a North Korean military mine." He added, "If the final investigation concludes that the mine planted by the North Korean military was responsible for the casualties among our troops, we will implement corresponding and appropriate measures."

No Record of Friendly Landmines at Blast Site

In the interim briefing, the military focused more on the absence of friendly landmines as the rationale for concluding this was a North Korean mine, rather than presenting definitive evidence. Deputy Chairman Kwon pointed to several factors: there are no records of the South Korean military having planted mines in the area; there are indications that North Korean troops laid mines nearby last year; and a preliminary examination by the National Forensic Service detected brown foreign substances and no signs of metal or shrapnel. As a result, military authorities have all but concluded that the explosion was caused by a North Korean anti-personnel mine made of plastic. This makes it unlikely that the explosion was due to an old mine manufactured by North Korea after 1969 and buried during the North Korean retreat at the time of the Korean War. TNT (trinitrotoluene), which is not used in the M16 anti-personnel mines employed by the South Korean military, was also detected on the injured soldiers' bulletproof vests, indicating the device was of a different type.

More conclusive evidence is needed to definitively attribute the mine to North Korea. For example, as in the 2015 wooden-box mine incident, verifiable proof that the North crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and planted a mine is required. This is why the military has announced plans to conduct further on-site investigations and recover the mine in question.

Planting by North Korea Would Be an Armistice Violation

The United Nations Command stated in a "fact sheet" released in June, "Planting mines south of the MDL is automatically an armistice violation, as it is not for defensive purposes," adding, "If such an incident is confirmed, procedures to determine an armistice violation will begin immediately." Therefore, if the latest incident, which occurred south of the MDL, is confirmed to have resulted from recent North Korean mine-planting, it would constitute a violation of the armistice by North Korea. Currently, the accident site is a surveillance blind spot, and no data is available outside of satellite imagery. Even if the incident is determined to be the result of a lost (unaccounted-for) landmine, further consultation with the United Nations Command is required, and if North Korea objects, the situation could become ambiguous.

Resuming Loudspeaker Broadcasts Against North Korea Would Increase Policy Pressure

If the final investigation concludes that the mine was planted by North Korean forces, the government's response level is expected to intensify. As communication with North Korea has been cut off, the most likely response is the resumption of loudspeaker broadcasts against the North. The challenge lies with the government's own policy stance. Since the inauguration of the Lee Jaemyung administration, all loudspeaker operations have been suspended. Resuming these broadcasts would require a reversal of the current administration’s approach to North Korea, imposing significant political burden. As North Korea is increasing mine deployments along the frontline, expanding search and mine detection and removal operations within the DMZ is being considered as a reciprocal measure. In this case, the prospect of renewed military standoff arises once again. President Lee stated at the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, "We will lay the groundwork for swiftly resuming inter-Korean and North Korea-U.S. dialogues, and develop them into talks among concerned parties toward ending the war on the Korean Peninsula and transitioning to a peace regime."

Ongoing Controversy over Reduced Guard Posts Due to Inter-Korean Military Agreement

Even after the final findings on the mine explosion are released, controversy is expected to continue. Under the September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement, both Koreas agreed to reduce the number of guard posts (GPs). After the reduction, there are now 7 North Korean GPs and 4 South Korean GPs in the accident area. As the South has fewer GPs than the North, it is likely criticisms will persist, pointing out that the blast site was a surveillance blind spot not easily covered by fixed monitoring equipment.

On September 24, military authorities formed a joint investigation task force led by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission, and conducted on-site investigations from September 27 to 28. The military plans to conduct further field investigations to recover the suspected plastic landmine witnessed by soldiers and to determine the precise timing of its placement.

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