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Major General Yang Jin-hyuk, director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, holds up a previously recovered resin anti-personnel mine during a briefing announcing the final findings of the joint on-site investigation task force regarding the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) landmine explosion, held at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 5th. / Yonhap

With South Korea's military and the United Nations Command reaching a final conclusion that the landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) was caused by a mine planted south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) by North Korean forces, attention is focusing on the government's "corresponding measures." The military demanded an apology and the clearance of the mines from North Korea while initiating its own demining operations. However, coordinating additional responses—such as resuming anti-Pyongyang loudspeaker broadcasts—with the administration's emphasis on dialogue and tension reduction championed by the president and the unification minister remains a key challenge.

Lieutenant General Kwon Dae-won, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and head of the joint on-site investigation task force for the DMZ landmine explosion, stated during a briefing at the Ministry of National Defense on the 5th, "We have made the final determination that our soldiers, who were conducting normal operations south of the Military Demarcation Line, were severely injured by a resin anti-personnel mine installed south of the MDL by North Korea under the pretext of its so-called border fortification work."

Vice Chairman Kwon continued, "We strongly urge North Korea to offer a sincere apology even now to our soldiers wounded in this landmine blast, and to immediately remove the mines laid in violation of the Armistice Agreement."

The military also embarked on mine removal operations. Vice Chairman Kwon explained that around 12:51 p.m. that day, the military cleared mines laid by North Korea south of the MDL. He added, "If North Korea does not voluntarily dismantle the minefields installed south of the MDL, we will continue demining operations for mines planted south of the MDL to safeguard peace in the DMZ and the safety of our troops." Additional military responses against North Korea were not disclosed.

With the release of the final investigation results establishing the cause of the incident, interest is shifting to the severity and nature of follow-up countermeasures. While resuming anti-Pyongyang loudspeaker broadcasts and demonstrating advanced military capabilities have surfaced as options, the government must balance holding North Korea accountable and preventing recurrence against the risk of military clash.

The option drawing the keenest attention is resuming psychological loudspeaker broadcasts toward the North. Loudspeaker broadcasts were suspended after the Lee Jae-myung administration took office in June last year to ease inter-Korean tensions and restore trust. Reactivating the broadcasts would restore leverage against North Korea, but it could carry substantial political fallout as it would mark a shift in the government's policy stance toward the North.

The opposition is urging the resumption of broadcasts, citing the 2015 wooden-box landmine provocation as precedent. In contrast, concerns are emerging primarily from the ruling camp that restarting the broadcasts could trigger further provocations and escalate military tensions.

Open opposition has also surfaced within the government. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young characterized resuming loudspeaker broadcasts on the 2nd as an "irresponsible and perilous act." Minister Chung stressed that both Koreas should use this incident as an opportunity to discuss MDL matters through dialogue and establish recurrence prevention measures.

President Lee Jae-myung likewise reaffirmed a policy stance grounded in dialogue and tension reduction. During a ceremony marking the 19th anniversary of the October 4 Inter-Korean Summit Declaration on the 4th, President Lee stated, "What reciprocity yields is nothing more than repeating frequent crises and confrontation," adding, "Only by breaking the vicious cycle of mutual hostility and confrontation can we create a virtuous cycle of peace and prosperity."

                                                                                                          Kim Dong-wook