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National Defense Committee Chairman Jin Sung-joon (left) and members of the committee inspect protective suits and mine-resistant overshoes during a visit to the Biryong Observatory of the Army's 25th Infantry Division on the 28th. / National Assembly Press Corps

Amid statements from South Korean reconnaissance troops reporting they saw an object resembling a North Korean wooden-box mine at the site of a suspected mine blast in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), it has emerged that a mine detector capable of detecting non-metallic objects was in use at the time of the incident. The actual detection range and method, as well as the reasons the mine was not filtered out, are expected to emerge as key points of contention in determining the cause of the accident.

Hwang Joo-bong, director of the Operations 1 Division at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated during a Ministry of National Defense briefing on the 28th that authorities secured statements to the effect that troops sighted an object resembling the shape of a wooden-box mine and seemingly made of plastic near the blast site.

These statements came from reconnaissance soldiers deployed in the DMZ operation. Director Hwang noted that these personnel had received advance training on the shapes, materials, and characteristics of both hostile and friendly mines, explaining that "trained personnel would have been able to identify the type of mine to some degree."

The possibility has also been raised that the sighted object was an unexploded mine that remained even after two separate blasts. Director Hwang said, "We cannot conclude whether the various eyewitness accounts point to the identical mine," adding that "multiple procedures, including on-site detection and cross-checking statements, will be required."

In particular, as it became known that the reconnaissance unit used the PRS-20K mine detector—which can detect non-metallic objects such as wooden boxes—the operational detection range and method at the time have become primary subjects of investigation.

"My understanding is that the PRS-20K is capable of detecting non-metallic objects as well," Director Hwang stated. "We plan to verify through on-site investigation the scope of the area detected at the scene at the time." The military and the United Nations Command launched an on-site investigation on the 27th, six days after the incident occurred, but failed to reach the blast point. Military authorities maintain that securing safe movement routes for the investigation team required time.

"At the time of the incident, North Korea was unaware that our military was conducting detection operations, but now the investigation status has been publicly disclosed," Director Hwang remarked. "This inevitably requires us to be more cautious during situation assessments." He added that donning protective gear also contributed to the additional time needed to access the site.

Addressing why unmanned equipment such as drones or robots was not actively deployed, he said, "Route-clearing paths can be evaluated in advance using imagery or satellite data, so equipment deployment decisions were made based on situational requirements," noting that "robots were indeed operated in certain areas."

Regarding concerns that rainfall during the Chuseok holiday might have degraded the site, he noted, "We confirmed that about 4 to 5 millimeters of rain fell, and we assess that on-site washaway is minimal."

The military plans to conduct another on-site investigation soon. It has sent items such as the uniforms worn by soldiers at the time of the accident to the National Forensic Service for appraisal, and plans to determine the type and specifications of the explosive based on blast fragments and chemical propellant residues.

                                                                                                             Lee Han-sol