Recent complaints have been filed against President Yoon Suk Yeol and military leadership in connection with a suspected landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) along the western front.
On September 27, former Seoul city councilman Lee Jong-bae held a press conference in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, where he accused Defense Minister Kang Shin-cheol of negligence, abuse of power, and destruction of evidence.
Lee stated, "The military authorities initially announced they would conduct an on-site investigation after the Chuseok holiday without any objective basis and rejected the United Nations Command's immediate proposal for an on-site investigation."
Earlier, the citizens' group, the Citizens' Livelihood Countermeasures Committee, also filed complaints the previous day against President Yoon, National Security Office Director Wi Sung-lak, former Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek, Minister Kang, and five others for abuse of power, negligence, and treason. The military leadership included in the complaints consists of Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Jin Young-seung, Army Chief of Staff Kim Kyu-ha, and Ground Operations Commander Lee Sang-ryeol.
The committee argued, "Despite the potential for landmine placement and changes in terrain due to North Korean incursions across the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in June, the military failed to respond in a timely manner after confirming the situation." They added, "The accident occurred about two months later during a search operation for a route for the UN Command's on-site investigation, indicating that President Yoon and military leadership did not fulfill their responsibilities, leading to harm to soldiers."
On the morning of September 21, two explosions, suspected to be caused by landmines, occurred during a search operation near the MDL, which is under the jurisdiction of the Army's 25th Division in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. The incident resulted in serious injuries to two military officers, including a battalion commander (major) and a sergeant, while one other officer sustained minor injuries.
The military and the United Nations Command are currently preparing for an on-site investigation to determine the cause of the incident. However, military authorities have not clarified whether the explosion was caused by landmines planted by North Korean forces or by South Korean military mines.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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