South Korean military officials have attributed a blast that injured three of their officers inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) last week to landmines likely planted by North Korea. The incident occurred within the tense buffer zone that has divided the Korean Peninsula since the 1953 armistice.

The three officers sustained serious injuries, including one who lost a foot, when two mines detonated approximately 10 meters south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) on September 21. A third unexploded mine was discovered by South Korean forces as they withdrew from the site, according to Vice-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Kwon Dae-won, who spoke during a live briefing Monday.

Preliminary findings from a joint investigation with the United Nations Command indicated that the blast involved "recently planted mines" believed to have originated from the North Korean side. The location also showed recent terrain changes consistent with new mine deployment. While the explosives contained TNT, a common component used in both North and South Korean mines, the devices differed from South Korean ordnance. Notably, the mines lacked metal fragments and had a smaller blast radius than typical South Korean mines, which usually possess a lethal range exceeding 20 meters.

Seoul maintains that North Korean troops crossed the MDL to deploy these mines, escalating tensions in the heavily fortified and heavily mined border area. The DMZ stretches roughly 248 kilometers long and 4 kilometers wide, officially designated as a demilitarised zone but flanked by some of the world's most fortified frontier lines. Despite the armistice, no formal peace treaty has been signed, and the two Koreas remain technically at war.

North Korea has denied the accusation. Since 2024, under orders from leader Kim Jong Un, Pyongyang has significantly enhanced its military posture along the border, including laying new mines and erecting anti-tank barriers as part of a broader strategy to seal off the frontier permanently.

Should the investigation confirm North Korea’s responsibility, the South Korean military has indicated it will hold Pyongyang fully accountable and respond with appropriate measures. Further details on potential responses have not been disclosed.

The announcement follows a site inspection conducted on Sunday by combined South Korean and UN investigators, aiming to clarify the circumstances surrounding the explosion. Incidents involving landmines have previously contributed to heightened tensions between the two Koreas, underscoring the fragility of the ceasefire along the peninsula’s divided border.