About 40 personnel deployed; mines swept, access route widened until sunset

'Uncharted minefield poses high risk,' further investigation to follow

A Surion helicopter flies over the southern limit line of the demilitarized zone on the western front in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. [Yonhap]
A Surion helicopter flies over the southern limit line of the demilitarized zone on the western front in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. [Yonhap]

South Korean forces and the United Nations Command reached the area near the suspected detonation point inside the demilitarized zone on Sunday, six days after a suspected mine explosion on Sept. 21, but called off the operation for the day due to the extreme danger of the uncharted minefield and the fatigue of personnel. A follow-up operation is planned.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said Sunday that South Korean forces and the UNC jointly conducted an on-site investigation and reached the area near the suspected blast point inside the DMZ.

About 40 personnel were deployed Sunday, including South Korean operational troops, the secretary of the UNC Military Armistice Commission and other MAC members, and investigators. Some officers who had taken part in the Sept. 21 operation also joined. The number was roughly double the approximately 20 personnel sent Saturday to secure an access route and assess operational conditions.

Working alongside UNC personnel at the front of the column, South Korean forces operated mine detectors and other equipment from around 9 a.m. until sunset, conducting a precise sweep for mines along the DMZ access route and widening it further. Because the blast occurred along a newly cleared stretch rather than an existing patrol path, teams had to re-clear and reinforce the route to allow investigators to approach safely.

"The area under investigation is an uncharted minefield inside the DMZ, posing a high level of danger, and the personnel conducting the operation were also severely fatigued," the JCS said. "Safety was the top priority, and it was decided to conclude Sunday's operation and carry it out again at a later date."

The approach to the site has proceeded in stages. On Saturday, the military and the UNC assessed the safety of the access route and checked surveillance and communications conditions. On Sunday, teams advanced to the area near the suspected blast point. However, a full investigation into the cause of the explosion has yet to begin.

The military has cited on-site conditions as the reason for the delay. The accident site is close to the MDL and near an area where North Korean forces are believed to have laid mines. The terrain is covered in waist-high brush, crossed by a stream, and includes steep slopes. The military noted that the 2015 wooden-box mine incident involving the 1st Infantry Division occurred just in front of a gate along the forward fence line and was wrapped up within six days, whereas the current case first requires widening and re-clearing the patrol route and conducting rehearsals with investigation personnel.

"South Korean forces and the UNC plan to thoroughly determine the cause of the accident through additional on-site investigations," the JCS said. "We plan to explain confirmed facts to the public in an objective and transparent manner."

Forensic findings will also inform the determination of the cause alongside the field investigation. The military has sent protective gear, mine overshoes, clothing and other items recovered at the scene to the National Forensic Service for analysis to determine whether the explosive was of South Korean or North Korean origin. Initial results are expected this week. The UNC MAC and counterintelligence personnel will also participate in the final assessment to determine who planted the mine and whether it was intentional.

Earlier, based on initial statements, the military said that around 10:50 a.m. on Sept. 21, a combat engineer staff sergeant leading the route-clearing operation was injured in a first explosion, and the search battalion commander who moved to secure the area was then wounded in a second blast. Eighteen personnel were deployed at the time; two were seriously injured and one sustained minor injuries.

The military acknowledged that M14 antipersonnel mines "in fact cannot deliver sufficient force when mine overshoes are worn," but said it is keeping open the possibility that the device was a mine lost and displaced by a nearby stream over time, given that the blast point is tens of meters from the area where North Korean forces are believed to have laid mines and a stream runs nearby.


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