The military official was evacuated by helicopter and is in stable condition. The incident follows Seoul’s proposal for talks to prevent accidental clashes along the heavily fortified line.
An explosion in the western sector of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas injured a South Korean military officer on Thursday morning, according to the Ministry of Defense in Seoul.
The officer, who was patrolling the area near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), was evacuated by emergency helicopter and remains in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.
The incident occurred within the four-kilometer-wide buffer zone that has divided the peninsula since the armistice of 1953. While the exact cause of the detonation remains under investigation by South Korean authorities, the strip is known for its high concentration of unexploded ordnance and landmines.
The blast comes at a moment of heightened friction along the border. Just last Monday, South Korea’s government, led by President Lee Jae-myung, officially proposed military talks with North Korea to establish a clearer baseline for the MDL and prevent accidental clashes.
Kim Hong-chul, a director general at the Ministry of Defense, stated that North Korean soldiers have repeatedly breached the demarcation line while conducting operations to install fences and plant mines. Seoul reports over a dozen such incursions this year, a significant increase compared to previous periods.
The most recent breach occurred on October 19, when more than 20 North Korean soldiers crossed the border near the city of Paju, retreating only after South Korean guards broadcast warnings and fired warning shots.
Despite Seoul’s overtures for dialogue, the regime of Kim Jong Un has ignored invitations and hardened its rhetoric. Even a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to South Korea last month failed to revive diplomatic engagement with Pyongyang, which continues to reject negotiations involving denuclearization.
The explosion recalls a serious 2015 incident where North Korean landmines maimed two South Korean soldiers during a patrol, highlighting the persistent dangers of one of the world’s most heavily militarized borders.
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