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Explosion occurs south of the inter-Korean border
Three South Korean Army personnel were seriously or moderately injured in an explosion during a search operation inside the western section of the Demilitarized Zone, the country’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The blast occurred at about 10:50 a.m. on the southern side of the Military Demarcation Line in an area overseen by the Army’s 25th Infantry Division. Troops were clearing a safe search route while checking for mines, unexploded ordnance and other hazards.
Two of the injured personnel were flown by an emergency helicopter deployed with assistance from the United Nations Command to the Armed Forces Capital Hospital. One of them, identified in reports as a reconnaissance battalion commander, underwent surgery after losing an ankle. A third injured service member and other troops at the scene were taken to hospitals for detailed examinations. None of the three injuries was considered life-threatening.
Military investigates possible land mine
South Korean military authorities said they were focusing on the possibility that a land mine caused the explosion. They are working with the United Nations Command to determine the cause and identify the explosive.
Investigators have not determined whether the device was planted by North Korea or South Korea. They are also examining whether flooding may have carried a mine from North Korean territory. The Joint Chiefs said all possibilities remained under investigation.
A ruling People Power Party lawmaker, Yoo Yong-won, said the accident occurred near a minefield established by North Korean forces and raised the possibility that a North Korean mine was responsible. The Joint Chiefs said there was distance between the area Yoo identified and the actual site of the explosion.
President Lee Jae Myung wrote on X that he sincerely hoped the injured troops would recover quickly. The United Nations Command said it was aware of the injuries but declined further comment while the investigation continued.
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