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| North Korea Placed Mines That Maimed Soldiers at DMZ, South Says | North Korea Placed Mines That Maimed Soldiers at DMZ, South Says |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 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. | 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.” | “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 that used wooden boxes, he said. | 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 that used 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. |
| During and after the Korean War, both Koreas planted hundreds of thousands of mines in and near each side of the DMZ to thwart infiltrators. | During and after the Korean War, both Koreas planted hundreds of thousands of mines in and near each side of the DMZ to thwart infiltrators. |
| Hundreds of South Korean villagers near the border have been injured or killed after stepping on or picking up stray mines. | Hundreds of South Korean villagers near the border have been injured or killed after stepping on or picking up stray mines. |
| The blasts last Tuesday, which took place near Paju, a front-line town north of Seoul, were especially shocking because South Korean officials said that infiltrators from the North had come within striking distance of a South Korean guard post and had retreated, undetected, after planting three mines on both sides of a barbed-wire fence protecting the post. | The blasts last Tuesday, which took place near Paju, a front-line town north of Seoul, were especially shocking because South Korean officials said that infiltrators from the North had come within striking distance of a South Korean guard post and had retreated, undetected, after planting three mines on both sides of a barbed-wire fence protecting the post. |
| General Koo said that the North Koreans most likely planted the mines between July 22, when South Korean guards last used the gate, and last Tuesday, when the soldiers were wounded. | General Koo said that the North Koreans most likely planted the mines between July 22, when South Korean guards last used the gate, and last Tuesday, when the soldiers were wounded. |
| Officials here said that the last incidents in which South Korean troops had been killed or wounded by similarly planted North Korean mines inside the DMZ took place in 1967. | Officials here said that the last incidents in which South Korean troops had been killed or wounded by similarly planted North Korean mines inside the DMZ took place in 1967. |
| “For the North, this is a low-cost provocation that creates a big psychological impact on the South,” said Kim Yong-hyun, a North Korea expert at Dongguk University in Seoul. “Those North Korean wooden box land mines usually blow away legs only, not always killing their victims.” | “For the North, this is a low-cost provocation that creates a big psychological impact on the South,” said Kim Yong-hyun, a North Korea expert at Dongguk University in Seoul. “Those North Korean wooden box land mines usually blow away legs only, not always killing their victims.” |
| Mr. Kim said that the incident was unlikely to lead to an armed skirmish on the tense border but that it would probably harden the South’s stance on the North and hamper any short-term efforts to improve ties. | Mr. Kim said that the incident was unlikely to lead to an armed skirmish on the tense border but that it would probably harden the South’s stance on the North and hamper any short-term efforts to improve ties. |
| The North has not responded to the South Korean accusation. If the mines were indeed planted by the North, it would be one of its most daring provocations since it shelled a South Korean island in 2010, killing four. | The North has not responded to the South Korean accusation. If the mines were indeed planted by the North, it would be one of its most daring provocations since it shelled a South Korean island in 2010, killing four. |
| 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 talks between generals from the command and 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 protect their side of the DMZ with guard posts, barbed-wire fences and minefields. So many mines are there that wild deer sometimes step on them, causing blasts. | Both Koreas protect their side of the DMZ with guard posts, barbed-wire fences and minefields. So many mines are there 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 2010, dozens of North Korean land mines moved into the South through floodwaters, killing one villager and scaring vacationers away from rivers and beaches near the border. | Old mines loosened by floodwaters also pose a risk for soldiers serving in the zone. In 2010, dozens of North Korean land mines moved into the South through floodwaters, killing one villager and scaring vacationers away from rivers and beaches near the border. |
| According to a 2011 survey, 116 villagers have been killed by mines in Gangwon, one of the two South Korean provinces on the border with the North. | According to a 2011 survey, 116 villagers have been killed by mines in Gangwon, one of the two South Korean provinces on the border with the North. |
| Despite the booby traps, armed commandos and spies from both sides often infiltrated the border in the years after the Korean War, though both governments have officially said that such infiltrations stopped since the 1970s. | Despite the booby traps, armed commandos and spies from both sides often infiltrated the border in the years after the Korean War, though both governments have officially said that such infiltrations stopped since the 1970s. |
| In recent years, South Korea has installed numerous closed-circuit and heat-detecting cameras along the border and around its guard posts. | In recent years, South Korea has installed numerous closed-circuit and heat-detecting cameras along the border and around its guard posts. |
| But its efforts to detect infiltrators were often hampered by lush summer forests inside the DMZ, officials said. (One of the two blasts on Tuesday was captured by such a camera, and its footage was released by the Defense Ministry.) | But its efforts to detect infiltrators were often hampered by lush summer forests inside the DMZ, officials said. (One of the two blasts on Tuesday was captured by such a camera, and its footage was released by the Defense Ministry.) |
| The South Korean military’s vigilance came under scrutiny in recent years, as several defectors from the North have crawled across the DMZ to South Korean guard posts. | The South Korean military’s vigilance came under scrutiny in recent years, as several defectors from the North have crawled across the DMZ to South Korean guard posts. |
| In 2012, sentries from the South did not know of an infiltration until a defecting North Korean soldier knocked on a window of their guard post. In June, another soldier from the North arrived at a South Korean guard post and spent a night outside, undetected, before turning himself in the next morning. | In 2012, sentries from the South did not know of an infiltration until a defecting North Korean soldier knocked on a window of their guard post. In June, another soldier from the North arrived at a South Korean guard post and spent a night outside, undetected, before turning himself in the next morning. |
| Later Monday, South Korea resumed loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts across the border for the first time in 11 years. Such broadcasts, including bitter criticism of the North’s government, were suspended in 2004 as part of efforts at reconciliation. | Later Monday, South Korea resumed loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts across the border for the first time in 11 years. Such broadcasts, including bitter criticism of the North’s government, were suspended in 2004 as part of efforts at reconciliation. |
| Conservative South Koreans have called for the resumption of the broadcasts as relations deteriorated in recent years. The North, meanwhile, has threatened to attack the loudspeakers if the broadcasts resume. | Conservative South Koreans have called for the resumption of the broadcasts as relations deteriorated in recent years. The North, meanwhile, has threatened to attack the loudspeakers if the broadcasts resume. |