South Korea military removes North Korean mines south of MDL, demands apology
Version 2: A fuller picture of the same announcement: the final investigation now includes forensic findings and an assessment that at least four mines were laid at the site, and new reporting says differing MDL baselines leave a risk of a clash.
In short
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said its final investigation concluded that North Korean plastic anti-personnel mines planted south of the Military Demarcation Line seriously wounded soldiers in the western DMZ. The military said it cleared that minefield at about 12:51 on Oct 5, called it an armistice violation recognized by the UN Command, and demanded an apology and the immediate removal of the remaining mines. It said removal operations south of the MDL will continue if North Korea does not clear them itself.
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South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff announced on Oct 5 the final result of its investigation into a mine explosion in the western Demilitarized Zone, saying South Korean troops carrying out normal operations south of the Military Demarcation Line were seriously injured by North Korean plastic anti-personnel mines. JCS Vice Chairman Kwon Dae-won, a lieutenant general, said at a briefing at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, that North Korea had installed the mines south of the MDL under the pretext of what he described as work to fortify the border line. [ 4 , 5 ]
Kwon said the military removed the North Korean minefield south of the MDL at about 12:51 that day, describing it as a minefield the UN Command had recognized as a violation of the Armistice Agreement. Korea Economic Daily reported the military as saying the minefield that caused the explosion was removed that day. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The military strongly urged North Korea to offer a sincere apology to the injured troops and to immediately remove the mines it installed in violation of the Armistice Agreement. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Kwon said the joint investigation team with the UN Command, drawing on an on-site investigation from Sept 26 to 29 and an appraisal by the National Forensic Service, confirmed by GPS that three mine points were about 10 metres south of the MDL. The UN Command assessed that the mines had been placed artificially and that the installation date was more than 12 months earlier, he said. Seoul Economic Daily reported that the team assessed at least four mines had been laid at the site, that an additional mine was found about 1 to 2 metres from the crater of the second explosion, and that the National Forensic Service detected TNT on the injured troops' helmets, vests and uniforms and MUF-type thermosetting resin in fragments from the wounded. [ 4 , 5 ]
The on-site team also examined whether the mines could have floated to the site and judged that possibility low, considering the surrounding terrain, weather, soil and the distance and arrangement between the mines and the explosion points, Seoul Economic Daily reported. [ 5 ]
Kwon said the military will continue mine-removal operations south of the MDL if North Korea does not remove the mines voluntarily, citing the peace of the DMZ and the safety of South Korean troops; Yonhap carried the same position in a breaking news item. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that the demolition was seen as the first military response measure to the incident, but that aligning the UN Command line with the MDL must come first. Kukmin Ilbo reported that mine removal had begun but that differing baselines for the MDL left the risk of a clash. [ 1 , 7 ]
Why it matters
The announcement places a border incident on record as an armistice violation confirmed by the UN Command and leaves open the prospect of further South Korean military operations south of the MDL. Two outlets also report that the two sides' MDL baselines differ, which they say keeps the risk of a clash on the ground. North Korea's response is not reported.
Key facts
- The Joint Chiefs of Staff said its final investigation found the western DMZ mine explosion was caused by North Korean plastic anti-personnel mines installed south of the MDL, and that South Korean troops carrying out normal operations were seriously injured. [ 4 , 5 ]
- The military said it removed the North Korean minefield south of the MDL at about 12:51 on Oct 5. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- A joint investigation team with the UN Command confirmed by GPS that three mine points were about 10 metres south of the MDL and judged this a violation of the Armistice Agreement. [ 4 , 5 ]
- The military urged North Korea to sincerely apologize to the injured troops and to immediately remove the mines it installed in violation of the armistice. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The military said it will continue mine-removal operations south of the MDL if North Korea does not remove the mines voluntarily. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reported the investigation assessed at least four mines were laid at the site, and that the National Forensic Service found TNT on the injured troops' helmets, vests and uniforms and MUF-type thermosetting resin in fragments from the wounded. [ 5 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that aligning the UN Command line with the MDL must come first, and Kukmin Ilbo reported that differing MDL baselines leave the risk of a clash. [ 1 , 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The South Korean military concluded that the mine explosion in the western DMZ was caused by North Korean plastic anti-personnel mines installed south of the MDL. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The military said it removed the North Korean minefield south of the MDL on Oct 5, at about 12:51. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The military demanded that North Korea apologize to the injured troops and immediately remove the mines. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The military said it will keep conducting mine-removal operations south of the MDL if North Korea does not clear the mines voluntarily. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- A joint investigation team with the UN Command confirmed by GPS that three mine points were about 10 metres south of the MDL and judged this an armistice violation. [ 4 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- How many troops were injured and their current condition. The documents refer only to troops in the plural and give no number or medical status.
- When the mine explosion occurred. No document gives a date for the explosion; they state only that the mines were installed more than 12 months earlier and that the joint on-site investigation ran from Sept 26 to 29.
- Whether North Korea has responded to the demand for an apology and for voluntary removal of the mines. No North Korean reaction appears in any of the documents.
- The difference between the MDL baselines and the resulting risk of a clash. Kukmin Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun raise this in their headlines, with Kyunghyang Shinmun saying alignment between the UN Command and the MDL must come first, but no details are available in the text.
- Whether the mines could have drifted to the accident site rather than being laid there. Seoul Economic Daily reports that the joint on-site team judged the possibility low, but this assessment appears in only one document.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Kukmin Ilbo reports that mine removal has begun but that differing MDL baselines leave a risk of a clash. [ 1 ]
- The military removes the North Korean minefield south of the MDL, according to JCS Vice Chairman Kwon Dae-won. [ 4 , 5 ]
- Yonhap reports the military's statement that removal operations will continue if North Korea does not voluntarily remove the mines. [ 2 ]
- Korea Economic Daily issues breaking headlines on the demand for an apology, the removal of the minefield and the final finding on the cause. [ 3 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reports the JCS briefing, including the final investigation result and the 12:51 removal. [ 4 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily publishes the investigation details, including the forensic findings and the assessment of mines laid at the site. [ 5 ]
- Seoul Shinmun reports that the military concluded the mines were North Korean and began direct removal. [ 6 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reports that the demolition was the first military response measure but that the UN Command and MDL lines must be aligned first. [ 7 ]