"The Landmine Took Out an Ankle, and Politics Is Holding Us Back"... PSA Criticizes Political Infighting

Some Say the Ad Plays Down the Severity of Landmine Injuries
"We Will Revise It to Raise Awareness of the Dangers of Landmine Injuries"

A privately produced public service advertisement has emerged, accusing politicians of failing to discuss the safety of military personnel and measures to prevent a recurrence amid excessive political infighting following a North Korean landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

Lee Jeseok Advertising Research Institute Launches Campaign Criticizing Political Leaders' Follow-Up Response

A public service ad criticizing political conflict after a landmine explosion. Lee Jeseok Advertising Research Institute.

According to Yonhap News on October 12, the Lee Jeseok Advertising Research Institute, run by public service advertising expert Lee Jeseok, held a guerrilla campaign on October 10 and 11 in military border areas around Gimpo and Paju, as well as around Yongsan Park, adjacent to the Ministry of National Defense, to criticize political leaders' response following the landmine incident.

The advertisement depicts a soldier in uniform with a severe injury to one leg, precariously balancing on the other. It also bears the slogan, "The landmine took out an ankle, and politics is holding us back." The campaign was reportedly planned with former career military personnel who share the view that a clear chain of command is needed.

"Concern Over Political Disputes About Who Was Responsible for the Incident"

Lee said the campaign was prompted by concerns about the political response following the incident. "It began with concerns about the reality that, even though our service members suffered serious injuries due to an external military threat, political disputes over responsibility for the incident and conflicts between political camps are intensifying at home," he said. "The image of a 'one-legged person' carries two meanings: the actual physical condition of a service member injured in the landmine explosion, and South Korea's security situation, which cannot move forward in a balanced way because of political confrontation."

Some, however, criticized the depiction of the soldier, saying that, contrary to the campaign's intent, it may have "played down the severity of landmine injuries, which can cause serious harm." Lee said, "The billboard is a test sample, and we plan to revise it to raise awareness of the dangers of landmine injuries."

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