[Edaily Reporter kim kwanyong ] As an investigation begins into the explosion—believed to have been caused by a landmine—that occurred on the 21st in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the western front, soldiers who were at the scene at the time have reported seeing an object near the blast site that resembled the wooden-box landmines used by North Korean forces. However, military authorities explain that since the statements do not fully align and neither the military nor the United Nations Command has yet reached the exact point of the incident, it is too early to conclusively determine that the object was a North Korean landmine.

Hwang Ju-bong, Director of Operations Division 1 at the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Brigadier General), stated during the Ministry of National Defense’s regular briefing on the 28th regarding the soldiers’ accounts of the incident, “There were statements to the effect that the object resembled a wooden-box landmine in shape and appeared to be made of plastic.” This means that the soldiers at the scene saw a “mine resembling a wooden-box mine” near the accident site. It is also reported that some soldiers stated there were additional unexploded mines remaining in the area.

However, it is difficult to conclusively determine that a North Korean landmine was the cause of the accident based on this information alone. Director Hwang explained, “We cannot assume that what Person A saw is the same as what Person B saw,” adding, “There were also statements suggesting it was a different type of landmine.”

In particular, contrary to the term “wooden box landmine,” some statements indicate that the material of the observed object appeared to be plastic. According to the military, there are other types of landmines that resemble wooden box landmines in appearance, so the actual type of landmine must be confirmed on-site. The military assesses that the soldiers’ statements themselves are significant. This is because troops deployed to DMZ operations receive training on the shapes, materials, and characteristics of not only North Korean landmines but also those used by the South Korean military before being deployed.

The military and the United Nations Command (UNC) launched a joint investigation of the accident site on the 27th, but were only able to approach the vicinity of the presumed explosion site. This was because they had to move through newly cleared, unconfirmed minefields while wearing protective gear, which slowed their progress. Consequently, they have not yet recovered any mine debris or unexploded mines that may still be present at the actual explosion site. The military plans to approach the explosion site through additional on-site investigations. If unexploded mines are indeed still present at the site, they could serve as the most direct evidence for determining the cause of the accident.

The results of the analysis by the National Forensic Service (NFS) will also serve as another basis for judgment. The military sent the uniforms and protective gear worn by the injured soldier at the time, his mine-protective boots, gauze containing traces of explosives, and shrapnel removed during surgery to the NFS for chemical analysis. Since there are differences in the explosive components used in North Korean landmines and those used by our military, the substances detected on the shrapnel or equipment could serve as a clue to identifying the type of landmine. However, the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that, as of the briefing held that day, they had not yet received the official analysis results from the National Forensic Service.

The nature of the accident site is also a variable. The military has designated this area as an “unidentified minefield.” Since it is not an area where South Korean forces have conducted continuous operations for decades since the Armistice Agreement was signed, the possibility that mines laid by South Korean forces in the past for defensive purposes remain cannot be completely ruled out.

On the other hand, since the second half of last year, there have been observations in the vicinity of the accident site suggesting that North Korean forces may have laid landmines near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). Therefore, if the cause of the accident is ultimately confirmed to be a North Korean landmine, further investigation will be required to determine whether the mine was washed over from the North Korean side by rainwater or whether North Korean forces directly planted it on the southern side of the MDL. If the North Korean military directly laid landmines in the southern DMZ across the MDL, this could raise the issue of a violation of the Armistice Agreement.

Apart from determining the cause, the military plans to reexamine the DMZ operational procedures revealed by this incident. The accident site was an unconfirmed minefield with no existing search routes, but the incident occurred while soldiers were clearing a new path using mine detectors. Whether unmanned equipment, such as drones or robots, was sufficiently utilized prior to entering the hazardous area, and whether there were any issues with mine detection procedures or equipment operation, are expected to be key points of the follow-up investigation.

Meanwhile, at around 10:50 a.m. on the 21st, an explosion believed to have been caused by a landmine occurred while troops were clearing a search route in the DMZ under the jurisdiction of the 25th Division in the Paju area of Gyeonggi Province. Two officers, including the search battalion commander, sustained serious injuries, and one sustained minor injuries.