South Korean and United Nations Command personnel returned to the western Demilitarized Zone on Sunday to inspect the area around a suspected mine blast that injured three South Korean officers six days earlier.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said about 40 people took part in the operation, including South Korean troops, members of the UNC Military Armistice Commission and investigators.
Several officers involved in the Sept. 21 operation also joined the team.
Starting around 9 a.m., the team used mine detectors to sweep access routes inside the DMZ and worked to widen a path toward the suspected blast site. The operation continued until sunset.
The team could not reach the exact site, as the surrounding area remains hazardous due to unidentified mines, the JCS said.
A military official said the operation was suspended for the day because of the risks in the area and fatigue among personnel.
“Given the danger posed by the area, we decided to put safety first and resume the inspection at a later date,” the official said.
The military and the UNC plan to return to the site for further inspections as they work to determine the cause of the Sept. 21 blast, which is suspected to have involved a North Korean mine.
yeeun@heraldcorp.com
