Military demands NK apology over DMZ mine blast as UNC confirms Armistice violation

South Korea’s military demanded an apology from North Korea on Wednesday over a DMZ mine blast that seriously injured South Korean soldiers. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea’s border fortification work near the Military Demarcation Line must stop immediately. The United Nations Command said its joint investigation found an active North Korean mine on the South Korean side of the line and determined an Armistice Agreement violation occurred.

The JCS said North Korea has continued laying mines and carrying out border fortification activities near the Military Demarcation Line.

The mine blast on Sept. 21 seriously injured South Korean soldiers.

The UNC said investigators found an active North Korean anti-personnel mine on the South Korean side of the MDL.

The UNC said the violation is being addressed through established Armistice mechanisms.

Kim Yo-jong rejected Seoul’s findings and called the incident an obvious self-staged farce, warning of immediate and merciless retaliation if South Korean troops use live fire.

Published Sep 30, 2026 11:08 am KST

Updated Sep 30, 2026 11:20 am KST

Lt. Gen. Kang Hyun-woo, chief director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivers a statement on the land mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

South Korea’s military on Wednesday demanded an apology from North Korea over a recent mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that seriously injured South Korean soldiers, calling on Pyongyang to halt its ongoing border fortification activities.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said North Korea has continued laying mines and carrying out what it calls the “fortification of its border” near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), saying such activities have heightened tensions along the inter-Korean border.

“This is a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement and undermines the spirit of existing inter-Korean agreements, and must be stopped immediately,” the JCS said. It also urged the North to offer an apology and take “responsible measures” over the Sept. 21 blast.

The United Nations Command (UNC), which conducted a joint on-site investigation with the South Korean military, said investigators found an active North Korean anti-personnel mine on the South Korean side of the MDL.

“Based on the findings of the investigation, UNC determined that an Armistice Agreement violation occurred,” it said, adding that the violation is being addressed through established Armistice mechanisms.

The South Korean military statement came after Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, earlier in the day rejected Seoul’s findings and accused the South of fabricating the incident.

Calling it “an obvious self-staged farce” reminiscent of the 2015 DMZ land mine incident, Kim claimed North Korean troops had “not once crossed the border” and warned that North Korean border units would retaliate “immediately and mercilessly” if South Korean troops used live fire against personnel involved in the North’s border fortification work.

韩国军方周三要求朝鲜就非军事区地雷爆炸事件道歉，该爆炸事件导致韩国士兵严重受伤。韩国联合参谋本部表示，朝鲜必须立即停止在军事分界线附近的边境防御工事建设。联合国军司令部表示，其联合调查发现朝鲜在分界线韩方一侧埋设了一枚仍在使用的地雷，并认定此举违反了停战协定。

联合参谋本部表示，朝鲜继续在军事分界线附近埋设地雷和进行边境防御工事活动。

9月21日发生的地雷爆炸导致韩国士兵重伤。

联合国军表示，调查人员在军事分界线韩国一侧发现了一枚仍在使用的朝鲜反步兵地雷。

联合国大会表示，正在通过既定的停战机制处理这一违规行为。

金与正驳斥了首尔方面的调查结果，称该事件显然是一场自导自演的闹剧，并警告说，如果韩国军队使用实弹，将立即进行无情报复。

发布于2026年9月30日上午11:08（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月30日上午11:20（韩国标准时间）

周三，韩国联合参谋本部作战部长姜铉宇中将在首尔国防部就非军事区地雷爆炸事件发表声明。（韩联社）

韩国军方周三要求朝鲜就最近在非军事区发生的地雷爆炸事件道歉，该爆炸导致韩国士兵严重受伤，并呼吁平壤停止其正在进行的边境防御工事建设活动。

韩国联合参谋本部表示，朝鲜继续在军事分界线附近埋设地雷并进行所谓的“边境防御工事建设”，并称此类活动加剧了朝韩边境的紧张局势。

联合参谋本部表示：“这明显违反了停战协定，破坏了现有朝韩协议的精神，必须立即停止。” 联合参谋本部还敦促朝鲜就9月21日爆炸事件道歉并采取“负责任的措施”。

联合国军司令部（UNC）与韩国军方进行了联合现场调查，调查人员在军事分界线韩国一侧发现了一枚仍在使用的朝鲜杀伤人员地雷。

“根据调查结果，北卡罗来纳大学认定发生了违反停战协定的行为，”声明中说，并补充说，正在通过既定的停战机制处理这一违约行为。

韩国军方发表声明之前，朝鲜领导人金正恩的妹妹、权势人物金与正当天早些时候驳斥了首尔的调查结果，并指责韩国捏造了这起事件。

金正恩称这是一场“显而易见的自导自演的闹剧”，让人想起2015年非军事区地雷事件。他声称朝鲜军队“一次也没有越过边界”，并警告说，如果韩国军队对参与朝鲜边境防御工事工作的人员使用实弹，朝鲜边防部队将“立即无情地”进行报复。