Military says NK mine almost certainly caused DMZ blast, vows response

South Korea’s military said Monday that a North Korean mine was highly likely to have caused last week’s explosion in the Demilitarized Zone, and it vowed corresponding measures. The blast injured South Korean soldiers during route-clearing work south of the Military Demarcation Line. A joint investigation with the U.N. Command is continuing.

The Sept. 21 incident happened while 18 soldiers were clearing a new search route for the United Nations Command to inspect suspected North Korean mine-laying activity near the Military Demarcation Line.

Two mines exploded during the operation, seriously injuring two soldiers and leaving another with minor injuries.

Fifteen of the 18 personnel have been discharged from the hospital, while three injured soldiers remain hospitalized.

A preliminary forensic examination found TNT and brown-colored foreign material on the soldiers’ protective equipment, but no metal fragments.

The military said a joint investigation with the U.N. Command is continuing, and further field inspections are planned before final findings are released.

Published Sep 28, 2026 9:02 pm KST

Updated Sep 28, 2026 10:20 pm KST

Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Kwon Dae-won briefs reporters on the suspected DMZ mine explosion at the defense ministry headquarters in Yongsan District, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

South Korea’s military said Monday it is highly likely that a North Korean mine was almost certainly responsible for last week’s explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), holding Pyongyang responsible and announcing plans for corresponding measures.

“Based on our overall assessment of the investigation and field inspection so far, we have determined that the explosion was highly likely to have been caused by a North Korean mine,” Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Vice Chairman Lt. Gen. Kwon Dae-won said during an evening briefing at the defense ministry in Seoul.

Kwon said North Korea would bear full responsibility if the final investigation confirms that the North planted the mines that injured South Korean troops who were conducting operations south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).

“Our military will take appropriate and corresponding measures,” he said.

The Sept. 21 incident occurred as 18 soldiers were clearing a new search route to allow the United Nations Command (UNC) to inspect terrain changes suspected to be linked to North Korean mine-laying activity near the MDL.

Two mines exploded during the operation, seriously injuring two soldiers and leaving another with minor injuries. All 18 personnel were airlifted to the Armed Forces Capital Hospital. Fifteen have since been discharged, while the three injured soldiers remain hospitalized.

The JCS said the blasts occurred about 10 meters south of the MDL, roughly 10 meters from where signs of suspected North Korean mine-laying were found in September 2025.

A preliminary forensic examination by the National Forensic Service detected TNT and brown-colored foreign material on the soldiers’ protective equipment, but no metal fragments.

Maj. Gen. Yang Jin-hyuk, the JCS director of operations, said the findings, combined with the relatively limited blast radius, indicated that the explosives were not South Korean mines.

The military also cited the absence of South Korean mine-laying records in the area and witness accounts of a suspected unexploded mine discovered about 1 meter from the blast site.

Yang said the object resembled a North Korean wooden-box mine in shape but was believed to be a plastic anti-personnel mine. Its type has yet to be confirmed through physical examination.

The military believes three mines may have been present at the site, including the suspected unexploded device.

However, the military has yet to establish when or how the mines reached the area, leaving open the possibility that they had been displaced from elsewhere.

A joint investigation with the UNC remains underway, with further field inspections planned before the final findings are released.

Asked about possible responses, Yang said the military would consider all available options after completing the investigation.

“The JCS will consider all necessary military options, while the defense ministry will examine policy options,” he said.

韩国军方周一表示，上周非军事区发生的爆炸极有可能是由朝鲜地雷引起的，并承诺将采取相应措施。爆炸导致在军事分界线以南进行道路清障作业的韩国士兵受伤。目前，韩国军方正与联合国军司令部进行联合调查。

9 月 21 日事件发生时，18 名士兵正在为联合国军司令部清理一条新的搜索路线，以便检查军事分界线附近疑似朝鲜的布雷活动。

行动中两枚地雷爆炸，造成两名士兵重伤，另一名士兵轻伤。

18 名伤员中有 15 人已出院，另有 3 名受伤士兵仍在住院治疗。

初步法医鉴定发现士兵的防护装备上有TNT炸药和棕色异物，但没有发现金属碎片。

军方表示，与联合国军司令部的联合调查仍在进行中，在公布最终调查结果之前，还将进行进一步的实地考察。

发布于2026年9月28日晚上9:02（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月28日晚上10:20（韩国标准时间）

周一，韩国联合参谋本部副委员长权大元在首尔龙山区国防部总部向记者通报了疑似非军事区地雷爆炸事件。（韩联社）

韩国军方周一表示，极有可能朝鲜地雷是上周非军事区爆炸事件的罪魁祸首，并认定平壤对此负有责任，同时宣布了相应的应对措施。

“根据我们迄今为止对调查和现场检查的总体评估，我们已确定爆炸极有可能是由朝鲜地雷引起的，”韩国联合参谋本部副委员长权大元中将在首尔国防部举行的晚间简报会上表示。

权表示，如果最终调查证实朝鲜埋设了地雷，导致在军事分界线以南执行任务的韩国士兵受伤，朝鲜将承担全部责任。

他说：“我军将采取适当和相应的措施。”

9 月 21 日事件发生时，18 名士兵正在清理一条新的搜索路线，以便联合国军司令部 (UNC) 检查疑似与朝鲜在 MDL 附近布雷活动有关的地形变化。

行动中两枚地雷爆炸，造成两名士兵重伤，另一名士兵轻伤。所有18名人员均被空运至首都武装部队医院。其中15人已出院，其余3名受伤士兵仍在住院治疗。

联合参谋本部表示，爆炸发生在军事分界线以南约 10 米处，距离 2025 年 9 月发现疑似朝鲜布雷迹象的地点大约 10 米。

国家法医鉴定所进行的初步法医检验在士兵的防护装备上发现了TNT炸药和棕色异物，但没有发现金属碎片。

韩国联合参谋本部作战部长杨镇赫少将表示，调查结果，加上爆炸半径相对较小，表明这些爆炸物并非韩国地雷。

军方还指出，该地区没有韩国布雷记录，并且有目击者称在爆炸地点约 1 米处发现了一枚疑似未爆炸的地雷。

杨先生表示，该物体外形酷似朝鲜的木箱地雷，但据信是塑料反步兵地雷。其具体类型尚待实物检验确认。

军方认为该地点可能存在三枚地雷，其中包括一枚疑似未爆炸的地雷。

然而，军方尚未确定这些地雷是什么时候、如何到达该地区的，因此不排除它们是从其他地方转移过来的。

与北卡罗来纳大学的联合调查仍在进行中，在最终调查结果公布之前，还将进行进一步的实地考察。

当被问及可能的应对措施时，杨表示，军方将在完成调查后考虑所有可行的方案。

他说：“联合参谋本部将考虑所有必要的军事选项，而国防部将研究政策选项。”