The opposition has ramped up pressure on the government and military to conduct a swift investigation into a suspected mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
On September 24, Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, criticized President Yoon Suk-yeol for only issuing a four-paragraph statement on social media immediately after the incident, stating, "There has been no word on the investigation into the mine incident or the response to North Korea's repeated provocations."
Jang took issue with the military's plan to begin the investigation after the Chuseok holiday, saying, "I have heard that our military rejected a request from the United Nations Command to start an immediate on-site investigation. Are we giving the North Korean military time to destroy evidence?"
He referenced the 2015 Kyeonggi-do mine incident, where evidence was collected on the day of the incident and a joint investigation with the UN Command was conducted two days later, asserting, "If the on-site investigation is deliberately delayed, it is a clear act of treason."
The People Power Party also criticized the Defense Ministry for rejecting their request to visit the accident site the previous day. Jang stated, "We said we would return on Monday, but they are still avoiding a response," urging for a thorough investigation.
Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon also announced plans for a press conference in front of the Defense Ministry in Yongsan, criticizing the delay in the investigation.
Han argued on Facebook, "Delaying the investigation due to the Chuseok holiday risks losing evidence to rain or giving the North Korean military a chance to destroy it. This area is a blind spot for our surveillance equipment. If a war breaks out during the holiday, will we wait until after the holiday to fight?"
The military has reportedly formed a separate investigation team to analyze command communications, soldier testimonies, and body camera footage from the incident, and is also conducting an investigation into the explosive remnants. They plan to assess whether the North Korean military intentionally planted the mines or if there is a possibility of lost mines based on the results of the on-site investigation and debris analysis.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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