South Korea has called for a formal apology from North Korea regarding landmine explosions that injured three soldiers in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The incidents occurred on September 21, when two explosions near the military demarcation line in the western section of the DMZ resulted in injuries to three South Korean soldiers.
Kang Hyunwoo, the director of operations for South Korea's joint chiefs of staff, stated that the military "strongly urges" North Korea to apologize for the blasts and to implement "responsible measures" to prevent future occurrences. He emphasized that the explosions represent a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement and compromise the spirit of existing inter-Korean agreements, demanding immediate cessation of such actions.
Defence Minister Kang Shin-chul indicated that South Korea would consider unspecified "corresponding measures" if an investigation confirms North Korea's responsibility for the explosions.
In response, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, dismissed South Korea's claims as a "conspiratorial farce" and accused Seoul of fabricating allegations to justify provocations against Pyongyang. She also criticized South Korea for issuing warnings and firing shots at North Korean troops engaged in fortification work, asserting that North Korean soldiers have not crossed the border.
Kim warned that if South Korean forces fire at their troops involved in border projects, it would lead to "immediate and merciless retaliatory action."
The United Nations Command reported that it identified an active North Korean anti-personnel mine on the Republic of Korea (ROK) side of the Military Demarcation Line during a joint investigation with South Korea's military. The UN Command concluded that a violation of the Armistice Agreement had occurred based on the investigation's findings. The UN Command is a US-led multinational military force responsible for overseeing the armistice that ended hostilities in the Korean War and manages the southern side of the DMZ.