Seoul concludes North Korea responsible for DMZ mine explosions

Published Oct 5, 2026 4:37 pm KST

Updated Oct 5, 2026 5:39 pm KST

Lt. Gen. Kwon Dae-won, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announces the final findings of a task force investigating a Sept. 21 land mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

South Korea said on Monday that North Korea was responsible for land mine explosions that injured three of its troops in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) last month, adding the incident was caused by mines recently planted by the North.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said its conclusion was based on a joint on-site investigation with the United Nations Command and forensic findings received from the National Forensic Service.

The explosion took place during a routine South Korean military operation south of the Military Demarkation Line (MDL) in the western DMZ on Sept. 21. Two troops remain hospitalized with serious injuries, while a third is receiving treatment for less serious wounds.

“In conclusion, based on the results of the joint investigation with the U.N. Command and scientific evidence, we have determined that our troops conducting routine DMZ operations sustained serious injuries from North Korean plastic anti-personnel mines planted south of the MDL, under the pretext of the North’s so-called border-fortification work,” said JCS Vice Chairman Lt. Gen. Kwon Dae-won during a briefing.

Kwon urged North Korea’s military to offer a sincere apology to the victims and immediately remove the mines it planted in the area.

发布于2026年10月5日下午4:37（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月5日下午5:39（韩国标准时间）

周一，韩国联合参谋本部副会长权大元中将在首尔国防部宣布了调查9月21日非军事区地雷爆炸事件的特别工作组的最终调查结果。（韩联社）

韩国周一表示，朝鲜应对上个月在非军事区（DMZ）发生的导致三名韩国士兵受伤的地雷爆炸事件负责，并补充说，该事件是由朝鲜最近埋设的地雷造成的。

联合参谋长联席会议（JCS）表示，其结论是基于与联合国军司令部进行的联合现场调查以及从国家法医服务部门收到的法医鉴定结果。

9月21日，韩国军队在西部非军事区军事分界线（MDL）以南进行例行军事行动时发生爆炸。两名士兵因伤势严重仍在医院接受治疗，另有一名士兵因伤势较轻正在接受治疗。

“总而言之，根据与联合国军司令部联合调查的结果和科学证据，我们认定，我方部队在非军事区执行例行任务时，因朝鲜以所谓边境防御工程为借口，在军事分界线以南埋设塑料杀伤人员地雷而遭受严重伤亡，”联合参谋本部副委员长权大元中将在简报会上表示。

权志强敦促朝鲜军方向受害者真诚道歉，并立即清除在该地区埋设的地雷。