An unexploded land mine was spotted at the site of last week’s blast inside the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas, military sources said. The account is based on initial statements from soldiers involved in the incident; investigators have not yet verified the mine’s type or origin.
Two separate explosions severely wounded two South Korean soldiers and lightly injured a third. The blast occurred south of the Military Demarcation Line during work to clear a path for a joint inspection by South Korea’s military and the U.N. Command. The inspection was intended to examine Seoul’s suspicion that North Korea had illegally planted mines across the border.
The joint investigation began Sunday. Investigators sought to reach the blast site to collect mine debris and other evidence, but ended operations at sunset after clearing a path only to an area near the scene. The National Forensic Service is analyzing mine fragments and explosive residue recovered from the soldiers’ protective suits.
Some military experts say the severity of the injuries and suspicions that North Korean troops planted mines in the area point more toward North Korean mines than South Korea’s standard M14 or M16 antipersonnel mines. Officials say it is too early to verify that assessment. If North Korean origin is confirmed, investigators will need to determine whether the mines were washed away by rain or deliberately planted; the latter would violate the armistice.