South Korea suspects North Korean mines behind DMZ blast

South Korea has said it suspects that a recent explosion in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that injured three military personnel was caused by North Korean landmines.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Monday that the preliminary findings of an investigation with the United Nations Command indicated that recently planted landmines were involved. The report threatens to provoke increased tensions between the rivals, who technically remain at war.
Relations between Seoul and Pyongyang have deteriorated in recent years amid increased geopolitical tensions, with the collapse of talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and United States President Donald Trump in 2019 a trigger.

In 2024, Kim described South Korea as the country’s “principal enemy” and Pyongyang has since been busy laying additional mines and building anti-tank barriers along the border.

Kwon warned that should the investigation confirm Pyongyang was responsible, South Korea’s military “will take appropriate and corresponding measures”.