North Korea denies responsibility for DMZ mine blast injuring three South Korean soldiers

Two consecutive explosions occurred on September 21 near the military demarcation line in the western section of the DMZ, a heavily fortified buffer zone between North and South Korea. Three South Korean military officers were injured. [1]

After a joint inspection with the U.S.-led UN Command, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korean mines were highly likely to have caused the blasts. The inspection found a North Korean mine near the explosion site. [1][2]

South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul told lawmakers that the discovered mine was believed to have been planted rather than lost or stray, and was likely connected to Pyongyang’s effort to fortify the border. [2]

North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong rejected the South Korean finding as fabricated and accused Seoul of political and military provocation. She warned of retaliation if South Korean forces fire on North Korean troops working on border fortifications. [1][2]

South Korea and the UN Command are conducting additional analyses before announcing final findings. The South Korean government has discussed unspecified corresponding measures if a finalized investigation confirms North Korean responsibility. [1][2]