Seoul mayor meets with young wounded veterans at Gwanghwamun Square

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon holds a meeting with young wounded veterans at the Garden of Gratitude in Gwanghwamun Square on Wednesday. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon holds a meeting with young wounded veterans at the Garden of Gratitude in Gwanghwamun Square on Wednesday. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Wednesday that North Korea must be held accountable for a recent landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone that injured South Korean soldiers, adding that there is "no reason to tiptoe around North Korea when the lives and safety of our people are at stake."

Oh made the remarks in a Facebook post, calling on the government to "establish clear principles and respond firmly to any act that threatens South Korea's security." The Ministry of National Defense has determined that the landmine was planted by North Korea.

Wishing the injured soldiers a swift recovery, Oh criticized the government's handling of the incident. "As the investigation and explanation of the accident were delayed, anxiety grew — not only among the soldiers and their families, but among the public as well," he wrote. "I cannot help but ask whether the government has fully grasped the weight of that."

Oh said that military morale rises when those who have devoted themselves to the country are treated with dignity and when serving soldiers trust that the state has their back. "The nation's stability and the people's peaceful daily lives rest on that trust," he said. He added that "the freedom and prosperity of this land were not given freely," and pledged not to forget the dedication of the soldiers defending the country at this very moment. "We must not stop at remembering heroes," he said. "How a nation takes responsibility for its heroes reflects that nation's character."

Oh held a meeting with five young wounded veterans at the Garden of Gratitude in Gwanghwamun Square ahead of Armed Forces Day on Oct. 1.

Earlier, Oh had expressed his wishes for the recovery of soldiers injured in the DMZ explosion, offered condolences to their families, and called for a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident as well as proper care, treatment and veterans' benefits for those affected. The meeting was organized to ensure that young people injured in service to their country are not left to navigate the road to recovery alone, with the mayor pledging to take responsibility for their lives even after discharge.


cook@heraldcorp.com