The South Korean government has called for an apology from North Korea, stating that the North's placement of landmines in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) constitutes a violation of the Armistice Agreement. This follows an incident where three South Korean soldiers were injured by a landmine explosion attributed to North Korea.
On October 8, during a speech at the 81st United Nations General Assembly's First Committee on Disarmament and International Security in New York, South Korea's Ambassador to the UN, Cha Ji-hoon, reported that the explosion on September 21 was caused by landmines intentionally placed by North Korean forces south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), as confirmed by a joint investigation with the United Nations Command.
Cha emphasized, "This is a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement," urging North Korea to cease such provocative actions and to take responsible measures, including an apology. He also called for North Korea to engage in dialogue to prevent further escalation and to restore trust on the Korean Peninsula, reiterating South Korea's commitment to a peaceful and diplomatic resolution regarding nuclear issues.
In response, a North Korean representative dismissed the so-called 'landmine explosion incident' as a malicious attempt by South Korea to label legitimate actions taken to fortify its border as military aggression. The representative accused South Korea of trying to shift responsibility onto the North.
North Korea firmly rejected South Korea's claims and reiterated its intention to exercise its sovereignty more decisively and boldly to ensure security along its southern border.
Following North Korea's remarks, South Korea's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ahn Ji-in, reiterated that the joint investigation and forensic analysis clearly demonstrated that the explosion was caused by landmines intentionally placed by North Korea.
In a further response, North Korea stated it would not discuss military sovereignty issues with what it termed an adversary, asserting that it would defend its territorial sovereignty through the exercise of force rather than negotiations.
Cha concluded by stating that North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs pose a significant threat to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and to the global non-proliferation regime, arguing that possessing nuclear weapons is an unavoidable choice to protect sovereignty from perceived threats from the United States.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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