North Korea Denies Responsibility for DMZ Blast, Accuses South Korea of Conspiracy

North Korea denied a South Korean claim that it was responsible for a mine blast in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that injured three South Korean soldiers. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accused Seoul of fabricating evidence after it attributed the explosion to Pyongyang. In a statement reported by state media KCNA, she described the accusation as 'too low and dirty as befitting the tribes of South Korea.' Following the incident, South Korean authorities initiated an investigation. South Korea's Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul stated that North Korean mines caused the blast and indicated that the South would take 'corresponding' action. He mentioned that North Korea likely planted mines to strengthen its border. The South Korean military has demanded an apology from North Korea, urging it to cease activities that escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula. An official from Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff reiterated the demand for an apology and responsible measures. During a follow-up inspection, South Korean and UN investigators discovered another North Korean mine. The UN Command reported that the investigation identified an active North Korean anti-personnel mine on the Republic of Korea (ROK) side of the Military Demarcation Line, concluding that North Korea violated the armistice agreement that ended the Korean War. The UNC is a US-led multinational military force that oversees the Korean armistice agreement and manages the southern side of the DMZ.