Military Urges North Korea to Immediately Halt "Border Fortification," Demands Apology and Responsible Actions

United Nations Command Also States:
"DMZ Explosion Constitutes Violation of Armistice Agreement"

Kang Hyunwoo, Chief of Operations Headquarters of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is expressing his position on the landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the 30th at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The military has called for North Korea to immediately halt its “border fortification” activities, issuing a demand for an apology and responsible measures in relation to the landmine explosion incident in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that occurred on the 21st.

On the 30th, Kang Hyunwoo, Chief of Operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, issued a statement at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul, declaring, “On September 21, an incident occurred south of the Military Demarcation Line, in which our troops, who were carrying out a standard search operation, suffered serious injuries as a result of North Korean landmines.” Kang emphasized, “North Korea must immediately cease activities that heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula, such as its so-called ‘border fortification.’ We strongly urge an apology from the North and demand that responsible measures be taken.”

Kang noted, “Despite the consistent efforts by our government for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula, North Korea has continued to pursue ‘border fortification,’ including laying landmines near the Military Demarcation Line. These actions have contributed to rising tensions in the border areas between North and South Korea.” He continued, “This is a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement and undermines the spirit of previous inter-Korean accords. Such actions must be halted immediately.”

Kang also stated, “We make it clear that North Korea bears full responsibility for any future developments.” This was regarded as the military’s first official statement directed at the North regarding the DMZ landmine explosion incident. In particular, the military explicitly referred to it as an “incident in which our troops suffered serious injuries due to North Korean landmines,” all but confirming its determination that both landmines detonated in the explosion were of North Korean military origin.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Command also issued a statement on the same day, explaining, “Based on the investigation, United Nations Command has determined that a violation of the Armistice Agreement occurred and is acting in accordance with the established armistice system.” From the 27th, the United Nations Command held a joint on-site investigation with the South Korean military over three days regarding the DMZ explosion incident that took place on the 21st. During the field investigation conducted the previous day, United Nations Command and the South Korean military discovered one North Korean plastic (anti-personnel) landmine. Since this landmine was found in the South of the MDL, within the territory of the Republic of Korea, the United Nations Command has determined that a violation of the Armistice Agreement is clear.

The United Nations Command added, “We will remain committed to maintaining and implementing the Armistice Agreement, sustaining stability on the Korean Peninsula, and fulfilling our responsibility to prevent heightened tensions.” This was the first time since the incident that the United Nations Command has ruled that the DMZ landmine explosion constituted a violation of the armistice, drawing increased attention to what follow-up measures may be pursued against the North Korean side going forward.

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