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North Korea calls DMZ landmine finding a “self-staged play”, warns on border
Versión 2: Fuller reports have added the North Korean foreign ministry statement carried by KCNA, the South Korean military’s final investigation findings and mine-removal operation, the defence minister’s remarks and earlier statements by Kim Yo-jong, which the first version did not include.
En breve
North Korea’s foreign ministry said South Korea’s final conclusion that North Korean mines caused a DMZ explosion was a “self-staged play” and a grave provocation, and warned of an immediate, strong response if its territory is violated by even 1mm. The statement, carried by KCNA, rejected Seoul’s call to discuss the military demarcation line and said mines unrelated to the North were not its concern. South Korea’s military said the September 21 blast at the western front DMZ came from North Korean anti-personnel mines laid south of the MDL, and has begun removing them.
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North Korea’s foreign ministry said South Korea’s conclusion that North Korean mines caused a landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone was a “self-staged play” and an “one-sided fabrication”, calling it a grave provocation and an act of sovereignty infringement that must be made to pay a price. The statement was carried by the Korean Central News Agency on 6 October under the title “We will be more resolute and clear in exercising sovereignty toward the most hostile state”, according to Kyunghyang Shinmun and Seoul Economic Daily. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
The ministry said if South Korean “military boots” or “flames” violate its territory by even 1mm, its border forces will take immediate and strong response action. It said removing mines unrelated to it is a matter it does not care about, and that any similar future incident would be entirely the responsibility of the side that suffered it. It also rejected dialogue, saying it will not discuss the exercise of military sovereignty in its territory with a rival state under any circumstances and will defend its sovereignty through “thorough exercise of force”, not negotiation. It repeated its framing of relations as those between “the most hostile” states. [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
The statement responded to South Korea’s announcement the previous day. The military said that, based on a joint investigation with the UN Command and scientific analysis, the 21 September explosion at the western front DMZ was caused by North Korean wooden-box anti-personnel mines buried south of the Military Demarcation Line. It said the blast point and additional mines found were about 10 metres south of the MDL, and that TNT and wood components linked to North Korean mines were detected on the clothing and bodies of injured soldiers. The military destroyed the North Korean mines at the site by controlled explosion and said further removal operations would follow if needed. [ 6 , 7 ]
Defence Minister Kang Shin-chul described the mine-removal operation as “virtually the first of its kind in the history of our DMZ” and a resolute response, saying all responsibility for the incident lies with North Korea and that the government would respond firmly to acts threatening national security. [ 7 ]
Earlier, Kim Yo-jong, department director of the Workers’ Party, issued statements on 29 September and 2 October calling the South’s attribution a “self-staged comedy”. In this round the foreign ministry spoke instead, which SBS News said reflected the “hostile two states” relationship. [ 6 , 8 ]
Por qué importa
The dispute concerns the Demilitarized Zone, where small incidents carry military and political weight between the two Koreas. North Korea’s threat of an immediate and strong response to any border violation, and its refusal to discuss military sovereignty, leave the confrontation unresolved even as South Korean troops clear mines south of the MDL.
Datos clave
- North Korea’s foreign ministry called South Korea’s final investigation into the DMZ landmine explosion a “self-staged play” and an “one-sided fabrication”, and described it as a grave provocation and an act of sovereignty infringement. [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- The statement was issued through the Korean Central News Agency on 6 October under the title “We will be more resolute and clear in exercising sovereignty toward the most hostile state”. [ 6 , 7 ]
- North Korea said if South Korean “military boots” or “flames” violate its territory by even 1mm, its border forces will take immediate and strong response action. [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- North Korea said removing mines unrelated to it is not its concern, and that any similar future incident would be entirely the responsibility of the affected side. [ 4 , 7 , 8 ]
- North Korea rejected discussing military sovereignty over its territory with a rival state, saying it will defend its sovereignty through “thorough exercise of force”, not negotiation. [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- South Korea’s military said on 5 October that the 21 September explosion at the western front DMZ was caused by North Korean wooden-box anti-personnel mines buried south of the MDL, based on a joint investigation with the UN Command and scientific analysis. [ 6 , 7 ]
- Defence Minister Kang Shin-chul called the mine-removal operation virtually the first of its kind in the DMZ’s history and a resolute response, and said all responsibility for the incident lies with North Korea. [ 7 ]
Confirmado por varias fuentes
- North Korea described South Korea’s conclusion on the DMZ landmine explosion as a “self-staged play” aimed at shifting responsibility, and called it a grave provocation and an act of sovereignty infringement. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- North Korea warned of an immediate and strong response if its territory is violated by even 1mm. [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- North Korea’s statement was issued by its foreign ministry and carried by the Korean Central News Agency on 6 October. [ 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- South Korea’s military said the explosion was caused by North Korean mines laid south of the MDL and has started removing mines there. [ 6 , 7 ]
Aún sin aclarar
- Whether North Korean troops laid the mines that caused the explosion. South Korea’s military conclusion is reported by two outlets, but North Korea explicitly denies involvement and calls the finding a fabrication; the documents contain no independent verification.
- How many soldiers were injured in the explosion and their condition. The documents refer to injured service members and to TNT and wood components found on their clothing and bodies, but give no number or details of injuries.
- What “diplomatic and military response measures” South Korea plans against the North. This is described only in North Korea’s statement, which says Seoul referred to such measures; no South Korean source in the documents confirms or details them.
Qué dicen los medios locales
Cronología, hora local
- An explosion occurs at the western front DMZ; South Korea’s military later attributes it to North Korean mines laid south of the MDL. [ 6 , 7 ]
- Kim Yo-jong, department director of the Workers’ Party, issues a statement calling the South’s attribution a “self-staged comedy”. [ 6 ]
- Kim Yo-jong issues a second statement using the same wording. [ 6 ]
- South Korea’s military announces its final investigation result and destroys the North Korean mines at the site by controlled explosion. [ 6 , 7 ]
- Kukmin Ilbo publishes a breaking-news headline on North Korea’s response to the military’s announcement. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap publishes a breaking-news headline quoting North Korea’s accusation that South Korea is shifting responsibility with a “self-staged play”. [ 2 ]
- Asia Economy publishes a breaking-news headline carrying the same North Korean wording. [ 3 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reports the North Korean foreign ministry statement carried by KCNA, including the “1mm” warning. [ 4 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun publishes the statement’s full contents, including the rejection of dialogue and the hostile two-state framing. [ 6 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reports the statement together with the military’s investigation findings and Defence Minister Kang Shin-chul’s remarks. [ 7 ]
- SBS News airs a report describing the foreign ministry’s statement and the North’s threat of immediate, strong response. [ 8 ]