(LEAD) JCS chief describes DMZ mine blast as 'provocation'; vows to review response measures

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(ATTN: UPDATES with details in paras 10-15) By Kim Hyun-soo

SEOUL, Oct. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top military commander said Thursday he had not thought of the recent mine blast near the inter-Korean border as anything other than a "provocation" by North Korea, while vowing to review response measures.

Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Jin Yong-sung made the remarks as some opposition lawmakers have raised issues with the South Korean military for allegedly refraining from depicting the Sept. 21 blast as a "provocation" by the North.

"There was not a single moment when I thought it was anything other than a provocation when one of my men was seriously injured," Jin said during a parliamentary audit.

"But I had not paid close attention to the fact that the term 'provocation' was not included in the announcement," he said when asked why the military had left out the term during Monday's briefing.

The JCS concluded its joint investigation with the U.N. Command into the mine blast on Monday, confirming its preliminary findings that resin antipersonnel mines deliberately planted by Pyongyang south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) were the cause of the blast. The explosion left three South Korean soldiers injured, two of them seriously.

On whether he deems the mine-removal operation conducted by South Korean troops at the blast site as a "corresponding" response, Jin said he thought the operation was "highly significant" and succeeded in expressing the resolve of the South Korean military.

"At the very least, we need to eliminate ourselves the threat that caused serious injuries to our comrades near the MDL," he said. "I think it is highly significant that we were able to carry out a successful operation with a unit that acts on orders from its commander, thereby demonstrating and following through on our resolve."

Asked if the military was planning other response measures, Jin said he would continue to review the necessary steps, without elaborating.

The South Korean military launched an operation Monday to remove any remaining land mines planted by North Korea at the blast site, in what marks the first such mission inside the buffer zone between the two Koreas.

Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Jin Yong-sung (front) responds to a lawmaker's inquiry during a parliamentary audit into the military at the defense ministry compound on Oct. 8, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

When asked about the status of U.S. intelligence sharing on North Korea-related matters, the JCS chairman stressed that the partial restrictions on information sharing do not hinder the military's readiness posture.

"While it is true that information sharing has not been fully restored, there are no problems or limitations in carrying out our missions related to North Korea's nuclear and missile programs," he said.

"However, I think it is best that this situation is resolved swiftly, and (we are) working toward that end," he added.

Washington has partially limited Seoul's access to intelligence on North Korea-related technology since April in protest against the unification minister's disclosure of information on one of the North's nuclear facilities.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young referred to North Korea's Kusong region as one of the sites hosting a uranium enrichment facility at a parliamentary session in March, in addition to the previously reported sites in Yongbyon and Kangson.

The restricted intelligence is presumed to be related to North Korea's technology collected via satellites.

Meanwhile, the South Korean military vowed to strengthen its readiness posture to deter further provocations by North Korea following the recent mine blast.

It also pledged to respond "sternly" to the damage suffered by South Korean troops, including through both physical and nonphysical means.

In the mid-term, the military plans to strengthen the capabilities needed to maintain the initiative in operations in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), including by minimizing surveillance blind spots.

The JCS also said it will accelerate efforts to transition the surveillance systems at general outposts in frontline units to artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technology-driven systems.

sookim@yna.co.kr (END)

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(LEAD) JCS chief describes DMZ mine blast as 'provocation'; vows to review response measures

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（注意：第10-15段有更新详情）金贤洙

首尔，10月8日（韩联社）——韩国最高军事指挥官周四表示，他认为最近发生在朝韩边境附近的地雷爆炸事件是朝鲜的“挑衅”，并誓言将重新审视应对措施。

韩国联合参谋本部议长晋勇成发表上述言论之际，一些反对派议员对韩国军方提出质疑，指责其没有将9月21日的爆炸事件描述为朝鲜的“挑衅”。

金在议会审计中表示：“当我的手下有人受重伤时，我从未想过这不是一种挑衅。”

“但我没有仔细注意到声明中没有包含‘挑衅’这个词，”当被问及为什么军方在周一的简报会上省略了这个词时，他说道。

韩国联合参谋本部周一结束了与联合国军司令部对地雷爆炸事件的联合调查，确认了此前的初步调查结果，即平壤方面蓄意埋设在军事分界线以南的树脂杀伤人员地雷是造成爆炸的原因。爆炸造成三名韩国士兵受伤，其中两人伤势严重。

对于他是否认为韩国军队在爆炸现场进行的排雷行动是“相应的”回应，金表示，他认为这次行动“意义重大”，成功地表达了韩国军队的决心。

他说：“至少，我们需要消除在MDL附近造成我们战友重伤的威胁。我认为，我们能够成功地执行这次行动，而且部队能够服从指挥官的命令，这意义重大，也充分展现并贯彻了我们的决心。”

当被问及军方是否正在计划其他应对措施时，金表示他将继续审查必要的步骤，但没有详细说明。

韩国军方周一展开行动，清除朝鲜在爆炸现场埋设的剩余地雷。这是韩国军方首次在朝韩缓冲区内执行此类任务。

2026年10月8日，在国防部大院举行的国会军事审计期间，联合参谋本部委员长金勇成（前）回答议员的质询。（联营照片）（韩联社）

当被问及美国在朝鲜相关事务上的情报共享状况时，参谋长联席会议主席强调，对信息共享的部分限制不会妨碍军队的战备状态。

他说：“虽然信息共享尚未完全恢复，但在执行与朝鲜核武器和导弹计划相关的任务方面，没有任何问题或限制。”

“不过，我认为最好尽快解决这种情况，（我们）正在朝着这个方向努力，”他补充道。

自今年 4 月以来，华盛顿部分限制了首尔获取与朝鲜相关的技术情报，以抗议朝鲜统一部长官泄露有关朝鲜某核设施的信息。

统一部长官郑东荣在3月份的国会会议上提到，朝鲜龟城地区是铀浓缩设施所在地之一，此前报道的宁边和江山地区也有铀浓缩设施。

据推测，这些受限情报与朝鲜通过卫星收集的技术有关。

与此同时，在最近发生的地雷爆炸事件后，韩国军方誓言加强战备状态，以阻止朝鲜进一步的挑衅行为。

它还承诺将对韩国军队遭受的损失作出“严厉”回应，包括通过物质和非物质手段。

中期来看，军方计划加强在非军事区（DMZ）保持行动主动权所需的能力，包括最大限度地减少监视盲区。

联合参谋本部还表示，将加快把前线部队一般哨所的监视系统过渡到人工智能（AI）和先进技术驱动的系统。

sookim@yna.co.kr (完)

（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”

国防部长称排雷行动是对朝鲜的“果断”回应

韩国军方展开行动，清除近期非军事区爆炸地点的朝鲜地雷。

（导语）参谋长称非军事区地雷爆炸事件为“挑衅”；誓言审查应对措施