Seoul pushes for dialogue with NK, but gov't speaks in different tones

President Lee Jae Myung renewed his call for dialogue with North Korea after a Sept. 21 land mine explosion in the DMZ injured three South Korean soldiers. The government said it still seeks inter-Korean dialogue, but Cheong Wa Dae, the unification ministry and the military used different tones on North Korea’s responsibility and Seoul’s response. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young proposed talks to clarify the Military Demarcation Line, while the military demanded an apology and responsible measures.

Lee described the Sept. 21 explosion as an unfortunate accident in his Armed Forces Day speech on Thursday and urged Pyongyang to restore trust and resume dialogue.

Seong Ghi-hong said Friday that Lee’s wording was used to console the injured soldiers and their families, and that there had been absolutely no change in the president’s position.

Chung Dong-young said only about 180 of the 1,292 original markers along the 248-kilometer MDL remain, creating discrepancies in how South Korea, North Korea and the United Nations Command identify the line.

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul visited Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, on Friday, his first visit to the key U.S. military installation since taking office.

The U.N. Command determined that a North Korean anti-personnel mine found south of the MDL violated the Korean Armistice Agreement.

Published Oct 2, 2026 3:53 pm KST

DMZ mine blast contrasts how officials frame incident

President Lee Jae Myung delivers remarks during a luncheon marking the 78th Armed Forces Day at the Gyeryongdae military headquarters in South Chungcheong Province, Thursday. Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung’s renewed call for dialogue with North Korea following a recent land mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is highlighting differences in tone within his administration over how to respond to Pyongyang.

While the government remains committed to restoring inter-Korean dialogue, Cheong Wa Dae, the unification ministry and the military have differed in how they have addressed North Korea’s responsibility for the incident and how Seoul should respond.

Lee referred to the Sept. 21 explosion, which injured three South Korean soldiers, as an “unfortunate accident,” during his Armed Forces Day speech Thursday. Rather than directly blaming North Korea, he called on Pyongyang to “restore trust and resume the dialogue that has been severed.”

“Firm security means creating peace in which there is no need to fight,” Lee said, pledging to continue “practical steps” to reduce military tensions.

Cheong Wa Dae sought Friday to dispel criticism that Lee’s wording was intended to play down North Korea’s responsibility.

“The expression ‘unfortunate accident’ was used in the context of consoling the soldiers who were seriously injured and their families,” Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public communications, said in a radio interview.

Seong said there had been “absolutely no change” in Lee’s position that necessary measures would be taken based on the results of a thorough investigation, adding that the government was considering such steps.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young put greater emphasis on engagement Friday, proposing talks with North Korea to clarify the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and prevent similar incidents.

Chung said only about 180 of the 1,292 markers originally installed along the 248-kilometer MDL remain, resulting in discrepancies in how South Korea, North Korea and the United Nations Command identify the line.

“Unless we resolve this issue, a similar accident could happen again at any time,” Chung said. “We need to meet and communicate. At the very least, we should begin talks to reconfirm and clearly establish the MDL.”

Asked whether Seoul should demand an apology from Pyongyang, Chung said it was “only natural,” while emphasizing that dialogue remained necessary.

“This is precisely why peaceful coexistence is more urgent,” he said. “This is not an issue that can be resolved through a hard-line versus hard-line confrontation.”

The military, however, has been more direct in assigning responsibility to North Korea.

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul has pledged “appropriate and corresponding measures” over the incident, while the military has demanded an apology and “responsible measures” from Pyongyang.

Kang visited Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, on Friday, his first visit to the key U.S. military installation since taking office.

The U.N. Command has determined that a North Korean anti-personnel mine found south of the MDL constituted a violation of the Korean Armistice Agreement.

9月21日，朝韩非军事区发生地雷爆炸，造成三名韩国士兵受伤。此后，韩国总统李在明再次呼吁与朝鲜对话。韩国政府表示仍寻求朝韩对话，但青瓦台、统一部和军方在朝鲜的责任和首尔的应对措施上措辞不同。统一部长官郑东荣提议通过会谈澄清军事分界线，而军方则要求朝鲜道歉并采取负责任的措施。

李在周四的建军节讲话中将9月21日的爆炸事件描述为一起不幸的意外，并敦促平壤恢复信任，重启对话。

成基洪周五表示，李登辉的措辞是为了安慰受伤士兵及其家属，总统的立场绝对没有改变。

郑东永表示，248公里长的军事分界线沿线的1292个原始标记中，只剩下约180个，这导致韩国、朝鲜和联合国军司令部在确定该线的方式上存在分歧。

韩国国防部长姜信哲周五访问了位于京畿道平泽市的汉弗莱斯军营，这是他上任以来首次访问这一重要的美军基地。

联合国军司令部认定，在军事分界线以南发现的一枚朝鲜杀伤人员地雷违反了《朝鲜停战协定》。

发布于2026年10月2日下午3:53（韩国标准时间）

非军事区地雷爆炸事件与官方对事件的描述形成鲜明对比。

周四，李在明总统在忠清南道鸡龙台军事总部出席纪念第78个武装部队日的午宴并发表讲话。（韩联社）

在非军事区（DMZ）最近发生地雷爆炸事件后，李在明总统再次呼吁与朝鲜对话，这凸显了其政府内部在如何应对平壤问题上的分歧。

尽管韩国政府仍然致力于恢复朝韩对话，但青瓦台、统一部和军方在如何处理朝鲜对该事件的责任以及首尔应该如何应对的问题上存在分歧。

李在周四的韩国人民军节讲话中，将9月21日造成三名韩国士兵受伤的爆炸事件称为“不幸的意外”。他没有直接指责朝鲜，而是呼吁平壤“恢复信任，重启中断的对话”。

李表示，“稳固的安全意味着创造一个无需战争的和平”，并承诺将继续采取“切实措施”来缓解军事紧张局势。

青瓦台周五试图消除外界对李在镕措辞意在淡化朝鲜责任的批评。

总统府公共通讯高级秘书成基洪在接受电台采访时表示：“使用‘不幸的事故’一词是为了安慰受重伤的士兵及其家属。”

成表示，李在任的立场“绝对没有改变”，即政府将根据彻底调查的结果采取必要措施，并补充说，政府正在考虑采取这些措施。

统一部长官郑东荣周五更加重视接触，提议与朝鲜进行会谈，以明确军事分界线（MDL），防止类似事件再次发生。

郑先生表示，最初沿248公里长的军事分界线安装的1292个标志物中，只剩下约180个，导致韩国、朝鲜和联合国军司令部在确定这条线的方式上存在分歧。

钟先生说：“如果我们不解决这个问题，类似的事故随时可能再次发生。我们需要开会沟通。至少，我们应该开始对话，重新确认并明确多区诉讼（MDL）的范围。”

当被问及首尔是否应该要求平壤道歉时，郑义宣表示这是“理所当然的”，同时强调对话仍然是必要的。

“正因如此，和平共处才显得更加迫切，”他说。“这个问题无法通过强硬对强硬的对抗来解决。”

然而，军方在追究朝鲜的责任方面则更加直接。

国防部长康信哲承诺将就此事采取“适当和相应的措施”，而军方则要求平壤道歉并采取“负责任的措施”。

康于周五访问了位于京畿道平泽市的汉弗莱斯营，这是他上任以来首次访问这个重要的美军基地。

联合国军司令部认定，在朝鲜军事分界线以南发现的一枚朝鲜杀伤人员地雷违反了《朝鲜停战协定》。