S. Korea to send letter to UNSC urging N. Korea to take responsibility for DMZ mine blast

South Korea plans to send a letter to the U.N. Security Council president on Thursday, New York time, urging North Korea to apologize for the Sept. 21 DMZ mine blasts and take responsibility for violating the Korean War Armistice Agreement. The blasts, which South Korea’s military attributed to North Korean mines planted south of the Military Demarcation Line, injured three South Korean soldiers, two seriously. Seoul says the letter will also call for dialogue to prevent escalation and restore trust. North Korea has denied responsibility and warned of retaliation.

The letter will be sent under the name of South Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations.

South Korea plans to coordinate with Greece, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council, to have the letter circulated to council members promptly.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun previously outlined four possible Security Council responses: sending a letter, seeking a presidential statement, pursuing a resolution or taking no action at the council level.

A senior foreign ministry official said Seoul has not ruled out unilateral sanctions if North Korea does not respond, but will assess their effectiveness and practical benefits before deciding on further steps.

Published Oct 22, 2026 3:13 pm KST

Updated Oct 22, 2026 4:32 pm KST

A landmine warning sign is seen along a trail running alongside minefields in a restricted area adjacent to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between South Korea and North Korea, in Yanggu, Gangwon Province. AFP-Yonhap

South Korea plans to send a letter to the president of the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) calling on North Korea to apologize for last month's land mine blast and take responsibility for its violation of the Korean War Armistice Agreement, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

The South Korean military concluded the Sept. 21 blasts in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) were caused by North Korean mines planted south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). The incidents injured three South Korean soldiers, two of them seriously.

"The letter will explain that the blast was caused by land mines planted by North Korean troops in violation of the Armistice Agreement, demand an apology and responsible action from Pyongyang, and call for dialogue to prevent further escalation and restore trust," ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon said during a regular press briefing.

The letter will also seek to "draw attention to Pyongyang's recent attempts to characterize South Korean troops' legitimate military activities along the MDL as provocations and shift responsibility for rising tensions onto South Korea," Park added.

The letter, to be sent under the name of South Korea's ambassador to the U.N., is expected to be sent Thursday (New York time), he said.

Such letters are typically circulated to Security Council members within several days of being received by the council president and subsequently posted on the UNSC website.

North Korea has denied responsibility for the incident and warned of retaliation if South Korea takes corresponding action.

The government will coordinate with Greece, which holds the rotating presidency of the UNSC, "to ensure the letter is circulated to council members as soon as possible after it is sent," a senior ministry official told reporters.

During a parliamentary audit earlier this month, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Seoul was reviewing "various diplomatic responses" to the mine blast while seeking to prevent unnecessary escalation.

Cho outlined four possible options for Seoul's response at the UNSC: sending a letter to the council president, seeking a presidential statement expressing the council's position on the incident, pursuing a UNSC resolution or taking no action at the council level.

When asked about possible additional measures, the ministry official said the government has not ruled out unilateral sanctions if North Korea does not respond to the letter.

"Seoul will consider their effectiveness and practical benefits before deciding on further steps," he added.

韩国计划于纽约时间周四致函联合国安理会主席，敦促朝鲜就9月21日非军事区地雷爆炸事件道歉，并承担违反《朝鲜战争停战协定》的责任。韩国军方认为，爆炸是由朝鲜在军事分界线以南埋设的地雷造成的，导致三名韩国士兵受伤，其中两人伤势严重。首尔方面表示，信中还将呼吁各方展开对话，以防止局势升级并重建互信。朝鲜否认对此事负责，并警告将进行报复。

这封信将以韩国驻联合国大使的名义发出。

韩国计划与担任安理会轮值主席国的希腊协调，尽快将这封信函分发给安理会成员。

外交部长赵显此前概述了安理会可能的四种应对措施：发出信函、寻求主席声明、寻求决议或在安理会层面不采取任何行动。

一位外交部高级官员表示，如果朝鲜不作出回应，首尔不排除单方面制裁的可能性，但会在决定采取进一步措施之前评估制裁的有效性和实际益处。

发布于2026年10月22日下午3:13（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月22日下午4:32（韩国标准时间）

在韩国江原道杨口郡，一条毗邻韩国和朝鲜非军事区（DMZ）的限制区域内，一条小路旁竖立着地雷警告标志。法新社-韩联社

韩国外交部周四表示，韩国计划致函联合国安理会主席，呼吁朝鲜就上个月的地雷爆炸事件道歉，并承担违反《朝鲜战争停战协定》的责任。

韩国军方认定，9月21日发生在非军事区（DMZ）的爆炸事件是由朝鲜埋设在军事分界线（MDL）以南的地雷造成的。事件造成三名韩国士兵受伤，其中两人伤势严重。

“信中将解释爆炸是由朝鲜军队违反停战协定埋设的地雷造成的，要求平壤道歉并采取负责任的行动，呼吁进行对话以防止局势进一步升级并恢复信任，”外交部发言人朴斗顺在例行记者会上表示。

朴槿惠补充说，这封信还将“引起人们对平壤近期企图将韩国军队在军事分界线沿线的合法军事活动定性为挑衅，并将日益紧张的局势的责任推卸给韩国的关注”。

他说，这封信将以韩国驻联合国大使的名义发出，预计将于周四（纽约时间）发出。

此类信件通常会在安理会主席收到后的几天内分发给安理会成员，随后发布在安理会网站上。

朝鲜否认对此事负责，并警告称，如果韩国采取相应行动，朝鲜将进行报复。

一位高级官员告诉记者，政府将与担任联合国安理会轮值主席国的希腊协调，“以确保信件发出后尽快分发给安理会成员”。

本月早些时候，在国会审计期间，外交部长赵显铉表示，首尔正在审查针对矿难爆炸事件的“各种外交应对措施”，同时寻求防止不必要的局势升级。

赵承熙概述了首尔在联合国安理会可能采取的四种应对措施：向安理会主席递交信函、寻求主席发表声明表达安理会对该事件的立场、寻求安理会决议或在安理会层面不采取任何行动。

当被问及可能采取的额外措施时，该部官员表示，如果朝鲜不回应这封信，政府不排除单方面制裁的可能性。

他补充说：“首尔方面将考虑这些措施的有效性和实际益处，然后再决定采取进一步措施。”