(3rd LD) N. Korea appears 'flustered' by S. Korea's DMZ blast findings, mine-clearing: defense minister

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(ATTN: UPDATES with foreign ministry's response in paras 15-16) By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears to be taken aback by South Korea's investigation results blaming Pyongyang for a recent mine blast near the inter-Korean border and its subsequent mine-clearing operation in the area, Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said Wednesday.

Kang's remarks came after the North repeatedly denied responsibility for the Sept. 21 explosion that severely injured two South Korean soldiers, dismissing Seoul's findings as a "farce" designed to fabricate results and shift the blame to Pyongyang.

The North's foreign ministry made such claims in a statement released through state media late Tuesday, a day after the South's military concluded land mines deliberately planted by North Korean troops were the cause of the blast south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). The military also conducted an operation Monday to remove additional mines at the blast site.

"We assess that they were quite flustered by our responses," Kang told lawmakers during a parliamentary audit.

"Unlike previous statements issued swiftly, (North Korea) released the (latest) statement about a day after we announced the final investigation results and launched mine-clearing operations," Kang said. "We also note that it was the (North's) foreign ministry that issued the statement."

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul speaks during a parliamentary audit at the defense ministry headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, on Oct. 7, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

Some experts noted that Pyongyang sought to moderate its rhetoric by issuing Tuesday's statement under its foreign ministry, rather than harsh commentaries from Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong-un.

Kang also told parliament that the mission cleared "all" mines in the area.

In response to an opposition lawmaker's point that hundreds of North Korean land mines are likely buried south of the MDL, Kang said the military shares similar assessments.

"It is a matter that requires joint verification with the U.N. Command (UNC)," the minister said.

Kang stopped short of specifying the areas where the North is suspected to have planted mines, only saying there are "several" such locations.

"We will continue to carry out necessary measures after ensuring we have completed the joint probe with the UNC," he said.

Seoul is weighing further countermeasures, determining that North Korea's apparent border intrusion and mine-laying activities along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) constitute violations of the Armistice Agreement that halted the 1950-53 Korean War.

The defense ministry said it is seeking to formally declare the North's border activities as a violation of the armistice agreement.

"Following a joint investigation with the UNC into North Korea's MDL incursions, we plan to formalize its armistice violations and strongly demand an immediate halt to border breaches and to restore the DMZ to its original state," the ministry said in a document submitted to lawmakers for the audit.

The foreign ministry separately said it is carrying out a comprehensive review of the merits of pursuing various options.

"We believe what is more important is not the execution of a specific measure, but how effectively that measure would contribute to achieving the aim of our response," it said.

In the document submitted to lawmakers, the defense ministry said it is also pushing for inter-Korean military talks "to prevent future accidental clashes and discuss reopening communication hotlines and aligning the MDL markers along the DMZ."

This photo, released by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Oct. 5, 2026, captures the moment of a mine-clearing operation conducted by the South Korean military on that day in response to the Sept. 21 mine blast inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that Seoul has blamed on Pyongyang. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The issue of the border line has reemerged since last month's mine blast.

When the armistice agreement was signed in 1953, the UNC and North Korea installed 1,292 marker posts along the MDL to mark the ceasefire line. However, most have deteriorated or been lost over time, leaving only about 200 identifiable markers today.

The South Korean military defines the MDL based on the mapping designated by the U.N. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The UNC uses a different set of coordinates established through its own 2016 MDL project.

North Korea is believed to use its own version of the MDL based on physical markers.

Calls have grown for efforts to reduce the discrepancies in border mapping. The UNC, which has legal jurisdiction on MDL management under the armistice, shares the need for clarifying the MDL baseline and reportedly conveyed its position to Pyongyang in the past.

"We will also pursue coordinated action with the UNC regarding the North's moves to either reduce or dismantle the buffer zone specified in the armistice agreement," the ministry said.

On the transition of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul, the ministry renewed its push for a road map to expedite the transfer, including efforts toward the certification of "full operational capability (FOC)."

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul answers lawmakers' questions during a parliamentary audit at the defense ministry headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, in this pool photo taken Oct. 7, 2026. (Yonhap)

FOC is one of the three evaluation phases agreed upon by South Korea and the U.S. to assess Seoul's readiness to retake wartime OPCON, alongside the completed initial operational capability (IOC) and the upcoming full mission capability (FMC).

Gen. Kim Sung-min, deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC), said during the audit that Seoul and Washington have agreed on a provisional plan for a command structure that will lead allied forces following the OPCON transfer.

"A provisional plan for the Future Combined Forces Command has been agreed upon and it will be finalized during the upcoming FMC evaluation," Kim said.

The ministry noted it plans to consult with Washington to permanently establish a combined special operations component command by the end of this year. The unit is one of six combined component commands the allies plan to set up prior to the OPCON transfer, four of which have already been launched.

elly@yna.co.kr (END)

(LEAD) N. Korea warns of 'powerful counteraction' if S. Korea intrudes 'even a millimeter' into its territory

FM Cho says S. Korea reviewing diplomatic responses to N.K. mine blast inside DMZ

Defense chief says mine-removal operation a 'decisive' response against N. Korea

(2nd LD) S. Korean military concludes N.K.-planted mines caused DMZ blast

(3rd LD) N. Korea appears 'flustered' by S. Korea's DMZ blast findings, mine-clearing: defense minister

这将使谷歌能够向您展示与您的搜索匹配或相关的韩联社新闻文章

（注意：第15-16段更新了外交部的回应）金承妍

首尔，10月7日（韩联社）——韩国国防部长康信哲周三表示，韩国的调查结果指责平壤应对最近发生在朝韩边境附近的地雷爆炸事件及其随后在该地区进行的排雷行动负责，朝鲜似乎对此感到震惊。

康的这番言论是在朝鲜多次否认对9月21日造成两名韩国士兵重伤的爆炸事件负责之后发表的，朝鲜还驳斥首尔的调查结果是一场“闹剧”，旨在捏造结果并将责任推卸给平壤。

朝鲜外交部周二晚间通过官方媒体发表声明，声称朝鲜军队埋设的地雷是导致军事分界线以南爆炸的原因。此前一天，韩国军方得出结论，朝鲜军队蓄意埋设的地雷是造成爆炸的原因。韩国军方周一还在爆炸现场进行了排雷行动。

康在国会审计期间告诉议员们：“我们认为，他们对我们的回应感到非常慌乱。”

康表示：“与以往迅速发布的声明不同，（朝鲜）在我们公布最终调查结果并启动排雷行动大约一天后才发布（最新）声明。我们还注意到，该声明是由（朝鲜）外交部发布的。”

2026年10月7日，韩国国防部长姜信哲在首尔龙山国防部总部出席国会听证会并发表讲话。（联营照片）（韩联社）

一些专家指出，平壤试图通过外交部发表周二的声明来缓和其措辞，而不是由领导人金正恩的妹妹、实力强大的金与正发表严厉评论。

康还向国会表示，此次任务清除了该地区的“所有”地雷。

针对反对派议员提出的朝鲜可能在军事分界线以南埋设数百枚地雷的观点，康表示，军方也有类似的评估。

部长表示：“此事需要与联合国军司令部（UNC）进行联合核查。”

康没有具体说明朝鲜涉嫌埋设地雷的地点，只是说有“几个”这样的地点。

他说：“在确保与UNC完成联合调查后，我们将继续采取必要措施。”

首尔正在考虑采取进一步的反制措施，认定朝鲜明显的越境行为以及在非军事区（DMZ）沿线布雷活动违反了结束1950-53年朝鲜战争的停战协定。

国防部表示，正在寻求正式宣布朝鲜的边境活动违反了停战协定。

“在与联合国大会对朝鲜越过军事分界线的行为进行联合调查后，我们计划正式认定其违反停战协定，并强烈要求立即停止越界行为，恢复非军事区原状，”该部在提交给议员进行审计的文件中表示。

外交部另行表示，正在对各种方案的利弊进行全面评估。

声明称：“我们认为，更重要的是该措施的执行情况，而不是具体措施的执行情况，而是该措施对实现我们应对目标的有效性。”

在提交给议员的文件中，国防部表示，它还在推动韩朝军事对话，“以防止未来发生意外冲突，并讨论重新开通通信热线和调整非军事区沿线的军事分界线标志”。

这张照片由韩国联合参谋本部于2026年10月5日发布，记录了韩国军方当天在非军事区（DMZ）内开展的排雷行动，以回应9月21日发生的地雷爆炸事件。首尔方面指责平壤是幕后黑手。（照片禁止出售）（韩联社）

自上个月的矿难发生以来，边界线问题再次浮出水面。

1953年停战协定签署时，联合国军和朝鲜在军事分界线沿线设立了1292个界碑，以标示停火线。然而，随着时间的推移，大部分界碑已经损坏或遗失，如今仅存约200个可辨认的界碑。

韩国军方根据联合国国家地理空间情报局指定的地图来界定军事距离界限（MDL）。而联合国军司令部则使用一套不同的坐标系，该坐标系是其在2016年开展的军事距离界限项目确定的。

据信朝鲜使用基于物理标记的自身版本的MDL。

各方呼吁努力减少边界划定上的差异。联合国军委员会（UNC）根据停战协定对军事分界线（MDL）的管理拥有法律管辖权，也认为有必要澄清军事分界线基线，据报道，该委员会过去曾向平壤表达过这一立场。

“对于北方试图减少或拆除停战协定中规定的缓冲区，我们还将与联合国大会采取协调行动，”该部表示。

在战时作战指挥权（OPCON）从华盛顿移交给首尔之际，国防部再次推动制定加快移交的路线图，包括努力实现“全面作战能力（FOC）”的认证。

这张摄于2026年10月7日的现场照片显示，韩国国防部长姜信哲在首尔龙山国防部总部接受国会质询时回答议员提问。（韩联社）

FOC 是韩国和美国商定的三个评估阶段之一，用于评估首尔重新夺回战时作战控制权的准备情况，另外两个阶段分别是已完成的初始作战能力 (IOC) 和即将完成的全面任务能力 (FMC)。

韩国-美国联合部队司令部（CFC）副司令金成民将军在审计期间表示，首尔和华盛顿已就作战指挥权移交后领导盟军的指挥结构临时计划达成一致。

金说：“未来联合部队司令部的初步计划已经达成一致，将在即将举行的FMC评估期间最终确定。”

该部指出，计划与华盛顿磋商，争取在今年年底前永久建立一支联合特种作战司令部。该部队是盟军计划在作战指挥权移交前设立的六个联合特种作战司令部之一，其中四个已经成立。

elly@yna.co.kr（完）

（导语）朝鲜警告称，如果韩国哪怕“深入”其领土一毫米，朝鲜将采取“强有力的反制措施”。

韩国外长赵镛基表示，韩国正在重新评估对朝鲜非军事区地雷爆炸事件的外交应对措施。

国防部长称排雷行动是对朝鲜的“果断”回应

（第二份LD）韩国军方认定朝鲜埋设的地雷引发了非军事区爆炸。

（第三条）朝鲜国防部长：韩国非军事区爆炸发现及排雷行动令朝鲜“慌乱不堪”