Story perspectives

South Korea: North Korean mines injure three officers

By Drooid · Sep 28, 2026, 10:56 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

North Korea Mine Explosions

South Korea’s military says North Korean mines caused explosions injuring three officers in the DMZ.
The blasts occurred on September 21, about 10 metres south of the demarcation line.
Vice chairman Kwon Dae-won reported two mines exploded, a third remained unexploded, and TNT residue was found.
Kwon warned South Korea will act if the investigation confirms North Korean responsibility, which Pyongyang denies as anti-Pyongyang plots.

Summary

South Korean Army Halts

South Korea Army and United Nations Command deployed ~40 soldiers for a joint inspection, then halted it over safety concerns.
Troops uncovered an unexploded rectangular device made of brown resin-like material, resembling North Korean PMN or wooden-box mines.
Defense Minister Kang Shin Chul said forensic analysis continues and findings will be publicly explained after verification.
Rep. Han Dong-hoon staged a solo protest at the Defense Ministry, urging a faster investigation.

History

Historical Context

The 1976 Pan-Panmunjom axe murder, when North Korean guards killed two U.S. officers, Capt. Arthur Bonifas and Lt. Mark Barrett, triggered the show-of-force Operation Paul Bunyan that cut down the obstructing tree. That clash, part of a series of DMZ confrontations since the 1970s, set a precedent for large-scale UNC deployments, echoing today’s North Korean mine placements near the line.

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North Korea Mine Explosions

South Korea’s military says North Korean mines caused explosions injuring three officers in the DMZ.
The blasts occurred on September 21, about 10 metres south of the demarcation line.
Vice chairman Kwon Dae-won reported two mines exploded, a third remained unexploded, and TNT residue was found.
Kwon warned South Korea will act if the investigation confirms North Korean responsibility, which Pyongyang denies as anti-Pyongyang plots.

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