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Kang Hyun-woo, chief director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, leaves the briefing room after delivering a statement regarding the landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 30th. / Yonhap

The South Korean military defined a landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement on the 30th, strongly urging North Korea to apologize and take responsible action. The United Nations Command (UNC) also formalized the violation of the Armistice Agreement, stating that it confirmed a North Korean antipersonnel landmine south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).

Kang Hyun-woo, chief director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated during a briefing at the Ministry of National Defense on the same day that "despite our government's consistent efforts toward peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula, North Korea has continued to pursue border fortification, including laying landmines near the Military Demarcation Line," adding that "this is causing tensions to escalate in the inter-Korean border region."

Director Kang continued, "This is a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement and undermines the spirit of existing inter-Korean agreements. It must cease immediately." He noted, "In particular, an incident occurred on the 21st in which our soldiers conducting normal reconnaissance operations south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) sustained severe injuries from a North Korean military landmine."

Director Kang demanded an immediate halt to related activities and an apology from North Korea. "North Korea must immediately stop activities that escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula, such as border fortification. We strongly urge an apology and responsible measures from the North," he said. He further emphasized, "We make it unequivocally clear that all responsibility for any subsequent developments rests entirely with North Korea."

The UNC also explained in a statement released that day that it conducted a joint on-site investigation with the South Korean military regarding the DMZ landmine explosion, confirming that an active North Korean antipersonnel mine was present in the South Korean area south of the MDL.

Notably, the UNC previewed follow-up actions directed at North Korea, stating, "Based on the findings of the on-site investigation, the UNC determined that a violation of the Armistice Agreement occurred. We are addressing the violation in accordance with established procedures related to the Armistice Agreement."

The UNC previously condemned North Korea's violation of the Armistice Agreement during the wooden-box landmine incident in 2015 and requested general-level talks with the North Korean military to discuss the matter. Given that it announced it is handling the violation according to Armistice Agreement procedures, it could potentially propose talks with the North this time as well.

The UNC added, "We will remain committed to upholding and implementing the Armistice Agreement, while fulfilling our responsibility to preserve stability and prevent escalation on the Korean Peninsula." This indicates its intention to manage tensions while addressing the violation.

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul also visited the Republic of Korea Fleet Command on the same day, ordering a resolute response to any enemy provocations.

After receiving a briefing on maritime operations at the command and control center, Minister Kang stressed, "If the enemy provokes, consider me standing right beside you, and respond decisively without hesitation." During a plenary session of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee the previous day, he likewise pointed out that the recent landmine incident was a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement.

                                                                                                             Lee Han-sol