According to Yonhap, on October 5, the South Korean military announced its investigation results, stating that the explosion that occurred in a non-military area on October 21 was caused by “ground mines laid by North Korea in areas south of the Military Demarcation Line.” The South Korean military launched a mine clearance operation around the explosion site at noon that day, and demanded that North Korea apologize and immediately remove the relevant mines.
In a press conference held that day, Kwon Dae-won, the Deputy Chief of the South Korean Joint Staff Headquarters, stated that joint investigations and related assessments by the Korean military and the 'United Nations Command' revealed that the explosion was caused by a plastic anti-personnel mine laid by the North Korean military. This accident resulted in serious injuries to Korean soldiers who were conducting operations in that area.
Regarding this incident, there are differing opinions within the Korean government regarding the response.
According to sources, at the meeting of the Permanent Committee of the South Korean National Security Council held on the 1st, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Sang-hyun proposed a plan for dealing with mine accidents and a unilateral sanctions plan against North Korea. He included North Korean individuals and entities engaged in illegal online activities in the list of targets for unilateral sanctions.
However, there were objections at the meeting, stating that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ proposal contradicted the policy of “inclusive and stable peace with North Korea” repeatedly emphasized by South Korean President Li Ji-ming. In particular, South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-won expressed strong opposition, claiming that the proposal from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was fundamentally flawed. The source revealed that Chung Dong-won was furious after hearing the proposal from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the meeting.
The person in charge of the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on that day regarding whether to impose unilateral sanctions on North Korean-related individuals, that the matter is still in the stage of internal discussion and there is no definitive decision yet.
According to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on October 2, Kim Kuo-jung, a minister of the Central Committee of the Korean Labor Party, stated in a speech that he condemned the South Korean attempt to plunge the situation on the Korean Peninsula into danger again, following the explosion of mines in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.
Kim said during the conversation that the landmine explosion incident was a 'new farce staged by the South Korean side', and the conclusion that the so-called incident was caused by the North Korean side is 'absurd'.
Kim Eui-young stated that North Korea is undergoing a project to fortify its southern border, with the goal of 'permanently closing the border to prevent any contact with South Korea.' North Korea does not allow any room for entanglement or interaction with South Korea. She also demanded that South Korea 'immediately stop spreading false information that attempts to tarnish North Korea's image.'
On September 21, during a mission conducted by the 25th Division of the Korean Army on the non-military side near the inter-Korean military demarcation line, an explosion was suspected to be caused by landmines. Three people were injured, two of whom suffered serious injuries.
