UNC confirms armistice violation as military demands NK apology

South Korea’s military and the United Nations Command said North Korea violated the 1953 Armistice Agreement by placing mines south of the Military Demarcation Line in South Korean territory. The military demanded an apology over the blast that seriously injured South Korean soldiers, while North Korea denied involvement. The UNC said a joint investigation found an active North Korean mine and will address the violation through armistice mechanisms.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said three South Korean soldiers were seriously injured on Sept. 21 while carrying out routine search operations south of the Military Demarcation Line.

The joint investigation from Sunday to Tuesday found another unexploded North Korean resin anti-personnel mine about 10 meters south of the MDL.

The military believes at least four mines were present in the area, including two that exploded and another spotted as soldiers withdrew.

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

Published Sep 30, 2026 11:08 am KST

Updated Sep 30, 2026 4:28 pm KST

Pyongyang denies border crossing, calls mine explosion Seoul's 'self-staged farce'

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

The South Korean military and United Nations Command (UNC) made it clear on Wednesday that North Korea violated the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement by laying mines south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in South Korean territory.

While the South demands an apology from the North over the recent mine explosions that seriously injured South Korean soldiers, the North has denied any involvement, claiming the accident was fabricated by the South.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said three South Korean soldiers, who had been carrying out routine search operations south of the MDL on Sept. 21, were seriously injured by North Korean mines.

The MDL separates the two Koreas and the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is a buffer zone extending 2 kilometers on either side of the MDL. The North has been burying mines along the MDL as part of what it calls “border fortification activities.”

“North Korea must immediately halt activities that heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula, including the so-called fortification of its border. We strongly call on the North to apologize and take responsible measures [over the mine blast],” Lt. Gen. Kang Hyun-woo, chief director of operations at the JCS, said while reading the military’s statement at the defense ministry headquarters in Seoul.

Calling such activities a “clear violation of the armistice agreement" and saying they "undermine the spirit of existing inter-Korean agreements,” Kang said “North Korea bears all responsibilities for any situations taking place in the future.”

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 south of the MDL.

“Based on the findings of the investigation, UNC determined that an armistice agreement violation occurred,” it said.

According to the agreement, hostile activities within the DMZ are forbidden, and no crossing of the MDL is allowed without permission of the Military Armistice Commission.

The UNC added that the violation is being addressed through established armistice mechanisms.

The joint investigation was carried out from Sunday to Tuesday, and it found another unexploded North Korean resin anti-personnel mine near the blast site, which is about 10 meters south of the MDL. Together with the two mines that exploded and another spotted by soldiers as they withdrew after the blasts, the military believes at least four mines were present in the area.

Earlier in the day before the statements by the South Korean military and the UNC were released, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, 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 use live fire against personnel involved in the North’s border fortification work.

Kim also defended the border fortification as an exercise of sovereignty.

韩国军方和联合国军司令部表示，朝鲜违反了1953年停战协定，在韩国领土军事分界线以南埋设地雷。韩国军方要求朝鲜就造成韩国士兵重伤的爆炸事件道歉，而朝鲜否认参与其中。联合国军司令部表示，联合调查发现了一枚朝鲜地雷，并将通过停战机制处理这一违约事件。

韩国联合参谋本部表示，9月21日，三名韩国士兵在军事分界线以南执行例行搜查任务时受重伤。

周日至周二的联合调查在MDL以南约10米处发现了另一枚未爆炸的朝鲜树脂杀伤人员地雷。

军方认为该地区至少有四枚地雷，其中两枚已经爆炸，另一枚是在士兵撤退时发现的。

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，如果韩国军队对朝鲜边防部队使用实弹，朝鲜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日下午4:28（韩国标准时间）

平壤否认有人越境，称地雷爆炸是首尔“自导自演的闹剧”。

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近期非军事区发生的地雷爆炸事件发表声明。（韩联社）

韩国军方和联合国军司令部（UNC）周三明确表示，朝鲜在韩国领土军事分界线（MDL）以南布雷，违反了1953年《朝鲜停战协定》。

尽管韩国要求朝鲜就最近导致韩国士兵严重受伤的地雷爆炸事件道歉，但朝鲜否认参与其中，并声称事故是韩国捏造的。

韩国联合参谋本部表示，9月21日，三名韩国士兵在军事分界线以南进行例行搜索行动时，触雷受重伤。

军事分界线将朝鲜半岛南北分隔开来，非军事区（DMZ）是向军事分界线两侧各延伸2公里的缓冲区。朝鲜一直在军事分界线沿线埋设地雷，这是其所谓的“边境防御活动”的一部分。

“朝鲜必须立即停止加剧朝鲜半岛紧张局势的活动，包括所谓的边境防御工事建设。我们强烈呼吁朝鲜就地雷爆炸事件道歉并采取负责任的措施。”韩国联合参谋本部作战部长姜铉宇中将在首尔国防部总部宣读军方声明时说道。

康表示，此类活动“明显违反了停战协定”，并称其“破坏了现有的朝韩协议的精神”，他还表示，“朝鲜应对未来发生的任何情况承担全部责任”。

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以南发现了一枚朝鲜仍在使用的反步兵地雷。

“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，”声明中写道。

根据该协议，禁止在非军事区内进行敌对活动，未经军事停战委员会许可，不得越过军事分界线。

联合国大会补充说，正在通过既定的停战机制处理这一违规行为。

联合调查于周日至周二进行，在爆炸地点附近（距军事分界线以南约10米处）发现了一枚未爆炸的朝鲜树脂杀伤人员地雷。加上爆炸的两枚地雷以及士兵在爆炸后撤退时发现的另一枚地雷，军方认为该区域至少存在四枚地雷。

当天早些时候，在韩国军方和联合国军发表声明之前，朝鲜领导人金正恩的妹妹金与正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“明显的自导自演的闹剧”，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。

金正恩还辩称，边境防御工事的修建是行使主权的行为。