Unification ministry reaffirms peaceful coexistence policy despite DMZ blast

The unification ministry said Thursday it will keep pursuing peaceful coexistence with North Korea despite the recent DMZ blast. Minister Chung Dong-young cut short his Europe trip and will return home to handle the fallout after three South Korean soldiers were wounded. The ministry said it will work with other agencies to prevent a repeat of such incidents, while the South Korean military blamed the North and demanded an apology.

Kim Yo-jong rejected the South Korean military's finding and said Seoul was cooking up groundless results.

The ministry said it will work with other government agencies to take necessary measures to prevent a repeat of the incident.

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday that the blast was a blatant violation of the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.

Published Oct 1, 2026 2:22 pm KST

Yoon Min-ho, spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification, speaks during a briefing at Government Complex Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

The unification ministry said Thursday it will continue to pursue peaceful coexistence with North Korea, despite the recent blast caused by North Korean land mines inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

The ministry unveiled the stance a day after Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, rejected the South Korean military's finding that blamed the North for the blast, arguing that Seoul is "cooking up the groundless results."

"The ministry will steadfastly pursue peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula," the ministry said, while vowing to work with other government agencies to take "necessary measures to prevent the repeat of such tragic incidents."

"Ending decadeslong hostility and confrontation and creating a peace where there is no need to fight each other is the most realistic way to protect the lives and safety of our people," the ministry said.

Minister Chung Dong-young curtailed his European work trip that was due to last until Monday and is set to return home later in the day to handle the aftermath of the blast, which wounded three South Korean soldiers.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Wednesday blamed the North for the blast, calling it a "blatant violation" of the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. The South also demanded an apology from Pyongyang.

An official at the ministry told reporters that the minister had been briefed promptly on the developments and decided to return early at this "important time" to manage inter-Korean relations and respond to the situation.

韩国统一部周四表示，尽管近期发生朝韩非军事区爆炸事件，仍将继续寻求与朝鲜和平共处。统一部长官郑东荣缩短了欧洲之行，将返回韩国处理事件后续事宜。此前，三名韩国士兵在爆炸中受伤。统一部表示将与其他部门合作，防止此类事件再次发生。韩国军方则指责朝鲜，并要求其道歉。

金与正驳斥了韩国军方的调查结果，称首尔方面是在捏造毫无根据的结论。

该部表示将与其他政府机构合作，采取必要措施防止此类事件再次发生。

韩国联合参谋本部周三表示，此次爆炸事件公然违反了结束1950-53年朝鲜战争的停战协定。

发布于2026年10月1日下午2:22（韩国标准时间）

韩国统一部发言人尹敏浩周一在首尔政府大楼举行的新闻发布会上发表讲话。（韩联社）

尽管朝鲜最近在非军事区（DMZ）埋设地雷引发爆炸，但韩国统一部周四表示，将继续寻求与朝鲜和平共处。

在朝鲜领导人金正恩的妹妹金与正驳斥韩国军方将爆炸事件归咎于朝鲜的调查结果，并辩称首尔“捏造了毫无根据的调查结果”的第二天，韩国国防部公布了这一立场。

该部表示，“将坚定不移地追求朝鲜半岛的和平共处”，并誓言与其他政府机构合作，采取“必要措施防止此类悲剧事件再次发生”。

该部表示：“结束长达数十年的敌对和对抗，创造一个无需互相争斗的和平环境，是保护我们人民生命和安全的最现实途径。”

韩国国防部长郑东荣缩短了原定于周一结束的欧洲工作访问行程，将于当天晚些时候返回韩国处理爆炸事件的后续事宜。此次爆炸事件造成三名韩国士兵受伤。

韩国联合参谋本部周三指责朝鲜制造爆炸事件，称其“公然违反”了结束1950-53年朝鲜战争的停战协定。韩国方面还要求平壤道歉。

该部一位官员告诉记者，部长已及时听取了有关事态发展的汇报，并决定在这个“重要时刻”提前返回，以管控朝韩关系并应对局势。