Military and UN Command Begin Investigation into DMZ Explosion Incident

The military and the United Nations Command have entered the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to investigate a recent explosion believed to be caused by a landmine.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced on September 26 that "our military and the UN Command have jointly secured access routes and assessed the operational environment for a field investigation related to the suspected landmine explosion in the DMZ."

The investigation team consists of a task force led by the Deputy Chief of Staff, members of the UN Command Military Armistice Commission, investigative agencies, and about 20 operational personnel. The UN Command's secretary is responsible for overseeing the entry of personnel and equipment from the South into the DMZ. Some soldiers who were present at the explosion site also voluntarily participated in the investigation.

This investigation is a preparatory step for the joint inquiry by the military and the UN Command, occurring five days after the incident.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "The personnel deployed to the DMZ today evaluated the safety of access routes, monitored the situation, and checked communication status, confirming the overall operational environment. We have been continuously preparing to ensure a thorough joint field investigation with the UN Command while ensuring the safety of our soldiers, and we plan to transparently explain the cause of the incident to the public."

Earlier, around 10:50 a.m. on September 21, soldiers from the Army's 25th Division were conducting a search route clearing operation near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the western DMZ when two explosions, believed to be caused by North Korean landmines, occurred, injuring three individuals, including the commander of the search battalion (a major). The military was using mine detectors to clear the search route to support the UN Command's investigation of changes in the terrain near the MDL.

Subsequently, to determine the cause of the incident, the military sent the equipment of the injured soldiers and fragments removed during surgery to the National Forensic Service for analysis on September 22.