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North Korea Placed Mines That Maimed Soldiers at DMZ, Seoul Says North Korea Placed Mines That Maimed Soldiers at DMZ, South Says
(about 1 hour later)
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean soldiers sneaked across the heavily guarded border with South Korea and planted land mines near a South Korean military guard post, and two southern soldiers were maimed after stepping on them, the South Korean Defense Ministry said on Monday. SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean soldiers sneaked across the heavily guarded border with South Korea and planted land mines near one of the South’s military guard posts, and two southern soldiers were maimed after stepping on them, the South Korean Defense Ministry said on Monday.
The two South Koreans, both staff sergeants, triggered the mines last Tuesday just outside their post, within the South Korean half of the 2.5-mile-wide Demilitarized Zone, a buffer separating the two Korean armies.The two South Koreans, both staff sergeants, triggered the mines last Tuesday just outside their post, within the South Korean half of the 2.5-mile-wide Demilitarized Zone, a buffer separating the two Korean armies.
One lost both legs in the first blast, involving two mines. The other soldier lost one leg in a second explosion as he tried to help his wounded colleague to safety, the ministry said.One lost both legs in the first blast, involving two mines. The other soldier lost one leg in a second explosion as he tried to help his wounded colleague to safety, the ministry said.
“This is a clear provocation by the North Korean military,” said Kim Min-seok, a spokesman for the South Korean military. “We swear a severe retaliation.” Investigations showed that the mines were planted by North Korean soldiers to target South Korean troops, Maj. Gen. Koo Hong-mo said during a news briefing. They were typical North Korean land mines using wooden boxes, he said. “This is a clear provocation by the North Korean military,” said Kim Min-seok, a spokesman for the South Korean military. “We swear a severe retaliation.”
Investigations showed that the mines were planted by North Korean soldiers to target troops from the South, Maj. Gen. Koo Hong-mo said at a news briefing. They were typical land mines from the North using wooden boxes, he said.
The mines were found just outside the South Korean guard post, which is 1,440 feet south of the military demarcation line, the official border that bisects the DMZ. They exploded as the soldiers opened the gate of a barbed-wire fence to begin a routine morning patrol, said Brig. Gen. Ahn Young-ho, a military investigator.The mines were found just outside the South Korean guard post, which is 1,440 feet south of the military demarcation line, the official border that bisects the DMZ. They exploded as the soldiers opened the gate of a barbed-wire fence to begin a routine morning patrol, said Brig. Gen. Ahn Young-ho, a military investigator.
The explosions on Tuesday were the first of their kind in 48 years, South Korean officials said.The explosions on Tuesday were the first of their kind in 48 years, South Korean officials said.
The American-led United Nations Command, which oversees the Korean armistice and investigated the mine incident together with the South, said it “condemns these violations” of the armistice and called for a generals’ talk with the North.The American-led United Nations Command, which oversees the Korean armistice and investigated the mine incident together with the South, said it “condemns these violations” of the armistice and called for a generals’ talk with the North.
Both the command and the South Korean military ruled out the possibility that the mines were old ones that had drifted from their original placements because of rain or shifting soil.Both the command and the South Korean military ruled out the possibility that the mines were old ones that had drifted from their original placements because of rain or shifting soil.
The DMZ was created in 1953 as part of the Korean War armistice. The armistice has never been replaced with a peace treaty, leaving the divided Korean Peninsula technically in a state of war.The DMZ was created in 1953 as part of the Korean War armistice. The armistice has never been replaced with a peace treaty, leaving the divided Korean Peninsula technically in a state of war.
Both Koreas guard their side of the DMZ with guard posts, barbed-wire fences and minefields. So many mines were strewn there during and after the war that wild deer sometimes step on them, causing blasts. Old mines loosened by floodwaters also pose a risk for soldiers serving in the zone.Both Koreas guard their side of the DMZ with guard posts, barbed-wire fences and minefields. So many mines were strewn there during and after the war that wild deer sometimes step on them, causing blasts. Old mines loosened by floodwaters also pose a risk for soldiers serving in the zone.
In recent years, several North Koreans have crawled across the DMZ to defect to South Korean guard posts. In recent years, several defectors from the North have crawled across the DMZ to South Korean guard posts.