(2nd LD) N. Korean land mines highly likely cause of DMZ blast: S. Korean military

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(ATTN: UPDATES with UNC's statement in para 9; RECASTS lead, para 2) By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- North Korean land mines were highly likely the cause of a recent mine explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), South Korea's military has said, vowing to hold Pyongyang "fully" accountable and take corresponding measures if confirmed.

The military announced its preliminary findings from its joint investigation with the U.N. Command (UNC) on Monday, hours after revisiting the site of last Monday's explosion inside the DMZ separating the two Koreas.

The blast left two South Korean soldiers severely injured and another with minor injuries.

A focal point of the probe has been determining whether the mines belonged to North Korea, amid mounting speculation that land mines illegally planted by North Korean troops across the border caused the blast.

Forensic analysis of fragments and residue recovered from the scene revealed traces of trinitrotoluene (TNT) and brown synthetic material -- key features consistent with North Korean antipersonnel land mines that use plastic resin rather than traditional wooden casing -- Lt. Gen. Kwon Dae-won, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a press briefing.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Lt. Gen. Kwon Dae-won announces the interim results of a military investigation into mine explosions inside the Demilitarized Zone, at the defense ministry headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, on Sept. 28, 2026. (Yonhap)

"Considering the blast crater, flame patterns and the extent of the injuries, the evidence strongly points to North Korean land mines, and based on these factors, we have concluded that North Korean land mines highly likely caused the explosion," Kwon said.

"If the final investigation confirms that this was inflicted by land mines laid by North Korean forces, it constitutes a clear attack in which our soldiers, who were lawfully performing DMZ operations south of the MDL, were injured by North Korean mines and consequently, accountability rests entirely with North Korea," he said.

"Our military will take appropriate and corresponding measures," Kwon stressed.

Asked to comment on the preliminary investigation results, UNC told Yonhap News Agency that it has no further comment "while the incident remains under investigation."

The South Korean military found that the explosion occurred about 10 meters south of the MDL and roughly 10 meters from the area where North Korea is suspected of having planted mines.

A total of three mines were believed to have been buried at the blast site, including the two detonated, based on the solders' statements that they spotted an unexploded land mine when they were retreating from the area.

The blast occurred during an operation to clear a path for a joint inspection between the South's military and the UNC to verify Seoul's suspicions that Pyongyang illegally buried land mines across the border in violation of the armistice that halted the 1950-53 Korean War.

The South Korean military raised the suspicions after detecting physical changes to the terrain on the western front near the MDL and has been in talks with the UNC to investigate potential North Korean mine-laying activities.

A second operation for the investigation was carried out Monday to reach the area where the mines exploded and to collect evidence, following an unsuccessful attempt a day earlier due largely to fading daylight and other operational limitations.

The military plans to announce the final results of the joint investigation with the UNC at a later date.

Maj. Gen. Yang Jin-hyuk, director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff operations planning division, speaks during a press briefing on the preliminary results of an investigation into a land mine explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone, at the defense ministry headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, on Sept. 28, 2026. (Yonhap)

elly@yna.co.kr (END)

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(2nd LD) N. Korean land mines highly likely cause of DMZ blast: S. Korean military

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9段更新了北卡罗来纳大学的声明；第2段导言已重写）金承妍

首尔，9月29日（韩联社）——韩国军方表示，朝鲜地雷极有可能是近期非军事区（DMZ）内发生的地雷爆炸事件的起因，并誓言如果得到证实，将追究平壤的“全部”责任，并采取相应措施。

周一，军方公布了与联合国军司令部联合调查的初步结果。此前数小时，军方再次视察了上周一发生在朝韩非军事区内的爆炸现场。

爆炸造成两名韩国士兵重伤，另一名士兵轻伤。

调查的重点是确定这些地雷是否属于朝鲜，此前越来越多的猜测认为，朝鲜军队非法越境埋设的地雷导致了爆炸。

韩国联合参谋本部副委员长权大元中将在新闻发布会上表示，对现场回收的碎片和残留物进行法医分析发现，其中含有三硝基甲苯（TNT）和棕色合成材料的痕迹——这些关键特征与朝鲜使用塑料树脂而非传统木制外壳的杀伤人员地雷相符。

2026年9月28日，韩国联合参谋本部副委员长权大元中将在首尔龙山国防部总部公布了对非军事区内地雷爆炸事件进行军事调查的初步结果。（韩联社）

权教授说：“考虑到爆炸坑、火焰形态和伤亡程度，证据强烈指向朝鲜地雷，基于这些因素，我们得出结论，朝鲜地雷极有可能是造成爆炸的原因。”

“如果最终调查证实这是朝鲜军队埋设的地雷造成的，那么这显然是一起袭击事件，我方士兵在军事分界线以南的非军事区合法执行任务时，被朝鲜地雷炸伤，因此，责任完全在于朝鲜，”他说。

权强调：“我军将采取适当和相应的措施。”

当被问及对初步调查结果的看法时，北卡罗来纳大学告诉韩联社，在事件仍在调查期间，他们不予置评。

韩国军方发现，爆炸发生在MDL以南约10米处，距离朝鲜被怀疑埋设地雷的区域约10米。

据信爆炸现场共埋有三枚地雷，其中两枚已被引爆。士兵们声称，他们在撤离该地区时发现了一枚未爆炸的地雷。

爆炸发生在韩国军方和联合国军联合检查的行动中，目的是清理道路，以核实首尔的怀疑，即平壤违反了结束 1950-53 年朝鲜战争的停战协定，非法在边境埋设地雷。

韩国军方在发现西线靠近军事分界线的地形发生物理变化后，提出了怀疑，并一直在与联合国军进行谈判，以调查朝鲜可能进行的布雷活动。

周一，调查人员进行了第二次行动，前往地雷爆炸区域收集证据。此前一天，由于天色渐暗和其他行动限制，调查人员的一次行动未能成功。

军方计划在稍后公布与北卡罗来纳大学联合调查的最终结果。

2026年9月28日，韩国联合参谋本部作战计划处处长杨镇赫少将在首尔龙山国防部总部举行的新闻发布会上，就非军事区内地雷爆炸事件的初步调查结果发表讲话。（韩联社）

elly@yna.co.kr（完）

（第二次路障检查）士兵的陈述表明，非军事区爆炸中可能存在未爆炸的木箱地雷。

（导语）韩国军方与联合国军司令部对非军事区爆炸现场进行联合调查；计划进行进一步调查：联合参谋本部

（导语）韩国军方与联合国军司令部在非军事区爆炸现场进行联合勘察，为后续调查做准备：联合参谋本部

参谋长联席会议主席视察陆军部队，随后将对疑似非军事区地雷爆炸事件展开现场调查。

总统官员承诺对非军事区爆炸事件展开迅速彻底的调查

非军事区发生两起爆炸；军方正在对地雷碎片进行法医分析。

国防部长探望在疑似非军事区地雷爆炸中受伤的士兵

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（第二次）在对疑似朝鲜雷区进行军事行动期间，非军事区发生地雷爆炸：联合参谋本部

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（第二份LD）韩国军方称，朝鲜地雷极有可能是非军事区爆炸的原因。