FM Cho says S. Korea reviewing diplomatic responses to N.K. mine blast inside DMZ

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SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Tuesday that South Korea is reviewing various diplomatic measures in response to recent mine explosions inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), while seeking to prevent the situation from escalating unnecessarily.

Cho made the remarks during a parliamentary audit of his ministry, a day after the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) concluded that North Korean land mines planted south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) caused injuries to three South Korean soldiers inside the DMZ on Sept. 21.

"We take this matter very seriously. Based on the final results of the investigation, the ministry is reviewing various things it can do and will work with the National Security Council to formulate the government's response," Cho said.

The blasts occurred while South Korean troops were clearing a path for a joint inspection with the U.N. Command (UNC) to verify suspicions that Pyongyang had illegally planted land mines south of the border in violation of the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.

Maj. Gen. Yang Jin-hyuk, director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), shows a North Korean plastic antipersonnel mine collected by the South Korean military, a device it says is identical to the North Korea-planted mine that injured South Korean troops in a blast on Sept. 21, 2026, during a press briefing at the defense ministry headquarters in Seoul, on Oct. 5. (Yonhap)

The minister said the review also includes past responses and measures involving the United Nations, as lawmakers noted that a similar incident in 2015 could serve as a reference. In 2015, three wooden-box North Korean land mines exploded south of the inter-Korean border, seriously injuring two South Korean soldiers.

The Seoul government subsequently sent a letter to the president of the U.N. Security Council through its ambassador to the U.N., expressing regret over the North's provocation and urging Pyongyang to refrain from further provocations.

Cho said he agreed with the need to clarify the MDL, adding that the government is preparing measures in cooperation with the UNC to encourage Pyongyang to respond to such efforts.

Cho rejected the claim that the government may have delayed its response to the incident out of concern about provoking North Korea.

"Firmly making demands to North Korea and managing the situation so that it does not unnecessarily escalate are two sides of the same coin," Cho said. "We will continue efforts on both fronts."

Announcing the final probe results on Monday, the JCS said the military conducted a mine-clearing operation at the blast site, which Seoul's defense minister has called the first such mission inside the DMZ in history and a "decisive" response to North Korea.

The military vowed to continue mine-removal operations in the area if North Korea does not voluntarily remove the mines it planted, while urging Pyongyang to apologize to the injured soldiers.

North Korea has denied responsibility for the recent explosions and warned of retaliation if South Korea takes corresponding action.

graceoh@yna.co.kr (END)

(2nd LD) S. Korean military concludes N.K.-planted mines caused DMZ blast

Unification ministry vows dialogue over hard-line response to DMZ blast

Defense chief says mine-removal operation a 'decisive' response against N. Korea

FM Cho says S. Korea reviewing diplomatic responses to N.K. mine blast inside DMZ

这将使谷歌能够向您展示与您的搜索匹配或相关的韩联社新闻文章。

首尔，10月6日（韩联社）——韩国外交部长赵显铉周二表示，针对近期非军事区（DMZ）内发生的地雷爆炸事件，韩国正在审查各种外交措施，同时努力防止局势不必要地升级。

赵承熙是在国会对其部门进行审计时发表上述言论的。此前一天，韩国联合参谋本部得出结论，朝鲜在军事分界线以南埋设的地雷导致9月21日三名韩国士兵在非军事区内受伤。

“我们非常重视此事。根据调查的最终结果，该部门正在审查可以采取的各种措施，并将与国家安全委员会合作制定政府的应对措施，”赵说。

爆炸发生时，韩国军队正在为与联合国军司令部 (UNC) 的联合检查清理道路，以核实有关平壤违反结束 1950-53 年朝鲜战争的停战协定，在边境以南非法埋设地雷的怀疑。

10月5日，韩国联合参谋本部作战部长杨镇赫少将在首尔国防部总部举行的新闻发布会上，展示了一枚由韩国军方缴获的朝鲜塑料杀伤人员地雷。韩国方面称，该地雷与2026年9月21日造成韩国士兵受伤的朝鲜埋设地雷完全相同。（韩联社）

部长表示，此次审查还包括以往联合国参与的应对措施，议员们指出，2015年发生的类似事件可作为参考。2015年，三枚装在木箱里的朝鲜地雷在朝韩边境以南爆炸，造成两名韩国士兵重伤。

随后，首尔政府通过其驻联合国大使向联合国安理会主席递交了一封信函，对朝鲜的挑衅行为表示遗憾，并敦促平壤不要再进行进一步的挑衅。

赵表示，他同意有必要澄清《军事判例法》，并补充说，政府正在与联合国军合作制定措施，以鼓励平壤对这些努力作出回应。

赵承熙驳斥了政府可能因担心激怒朝鲜而延迟对该事件作出反应的说法。

“向朝鲜提出坚定要求，同时管控局势，避免其不必要地升级，这是同一枚硬币的两面，”赵说。“我们将继续在这两方面努力。”

周一，联合参谋本部公布了最终调查结果，称军方在爆炸现场进行了排雷行动。首尔国防部长称这是历史上首次在非军事区内执行此类任务，是对朝鲜的“果断”回应。

军方誓言，如果朝鲜不主动清除其埋设的地雷，军方将继续在该地区开展排雷行动，同时敦促平壤向受伤士兵道歉。

朝鲜否认对最近发生的爆炸事件负责，并警告称，如果韩国采取相应行动，朝鲜将进行报复。

graceoh@yna.co.kr (完)

（第二份LD）韩国军方认定朝鲜埋设的地雷引发了非军事区爆炸

统一部承诺就非军事区爆炸事件采取强硬回应展开对话

国防部长称排雷行动是对朝鲜的“果断”回应

韩国外长赵镛基表示，韩国正在重新评估对朝鲜非军事区地雷爆炸事件的外交应对措施。