Audit grills unification, defense ministers over North Korean mine explosions in DMZ

South Korea's unification and defense ministers faced interrogations at National Assembly audits Wednesday over North Korean mines found south of the inter-Korean border. Lawmakers questioned the government's assessment of Pyongyang's intent and the military's response to explosions that seriously injured three South Korean personnel last month. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young faced criticism from opposition lawmakers over his reluctance to characterize the Sept. 21 explosions in the Demil

2026-10-07 14:31:38:00

[단독] 군, DMZ 지뢰 폭발 뒤 화력대기태세 격상…제거 당일에도 북 우발행동시 ‘즉각 대응사격’ 준비

우리 군이 지난달 21일 비무장지대(DMZ)에서 지뢰 폭발 사고가 발생한 직후 전방 육군 군단의 화력대기태세를 격상하고, 북한의 우발적 군사행동에 대비해 즉각 대응 사격이 가능한 상태를 유지했던 것으로 확인됐다. 6일 복수의 군 소식통에 따르면 합동참모본부는 군사분계선(MDL) 인근에서 우리 군 장병 3명이 다친 지뢰 폭발 사고 직후 군단급 화력대기태세를 격상했다. 격상된 태세는 우리 군이 MDL 이남에서 발견된 북한 지뢰지대를 제거한 지난 5일까지 유지됐다. 국방부에 따르면 이번 지뢰 제거 작전은 우리 군이 MDL 이남에 설치된 북한 지뢰지대를 물리적으로 제거한 첫 사례다. 군 관계자는 당시 화력대기태세 격상 배경에 대해 MDL 인근에서 이뤄지는 폭발과 지뢰 제거 작업이 북한의 예상치 못한 반응을 불러올 가능성을 염두에 둔 조치였다고 설명했다. 이 관계자는 익명을 전제로 "우리 입장에서 보면 지뢰를 터뜨리는 게 별것 아닐 수도 있지만 북한 입장에서 보면 자기들이 경계선이라고 보는

2026-10-06 17:26:17:00

[Exclusive] Seoul readied forces to return fire after Sept. 21 DMZ mine explosions: sources

South Korea's military kept front-line Army units ready to open fire at short notice following two Sept. 21 mine explosions in the Demilitarized Zone, as a precaution against any unexpected North Korean military action, sources said Tuesday. According to military sources familiar with the matter, the Joint Chiefs of Staff raised the corps-level fire readiness posture shortly after the explosions, which injured three South Korean military personnel near the Military Demarcation Line. The heighten

2026-10-06 17:21:31:00

Parties clash over Ukraine, North Korea and Supreme Court nominee as annual audit kicks off

South Korea's annual parliamentary audit opened Tuesday with sharp partisan clashes over the government's handling of North Korea and Ukraine, as well as the deepening confrontation between the presidential office and the judiciary over a Supreme Court justice nomination. Eight of the National Assembly's 17 standing committees began their annual inspections of government agencies Tuesday, kicking off a three-week audit scheduled to run through Oct. 27. This year's audit is the second since Presi

2026-10-06 15:20:51:00

N. Korean mines found south of MDL were installed over 12 months ago: JCS

The US-led United Nations Command assessed that a North Korean mine found south of the Military Demarcation Line had been deliberately placed there and installed more than 12 months ago, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday. Army Lt. Gen. Kwon Dae-won, vice chair of the JCS, announced the findings during a briefing on the final investigation into the Sept. 21 mine explosions in the Demilitarized Zone that injured three South Korean military personnel. The JCS also said it removed the

2026-10-05 16:43:57:00

North Korea appears to have installed fences south of MDL: lawmaker

North Korea appears to have recently installed fences and structures south of the Military Demarcation Line in areas other than the site of recent twin land mine blasts that injured three military personnel, a lawmaker said Monday, suggesting that the encroachment is more widespread than previously known. Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the main opposition People Power Party said fences and other structures south of the MDL ― which divides the two Koreas ― had been newly identified in Yanggu, Gangwon Provi

2026-10-05 13:54:51:00

North Korea fires ballistic missile toward East Sea: JCS

North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Saturday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The military said it detected the missile launched from the Wonsan area at around 6:30 a.m. The number of missiles, as well as their flight distance and altitude, were not immediately known. "South Korea, the United States and Japan are closely sharing information related to North Korea's ballistic missile launch while maintaining a full readiness posture," the JCS said. The latest la

2026-10-03 06:49:22:00

South Koreans' distrust of North Korea reaches record high

South Koreans' distrust of the North Korean regime and perceptions of its military threat have reached their highest levels on record, a survey showed Thursday. According to the Seoul National University Institute for Peace and Unification Studies' 2026 Unification Perception Survey, 78.3 percent of respondents said "dialogue and compromise with the North Korean regime were impossible," the highest level recorded since the institute began conducting the annual survey in 2007. The poll also found

2026-10-01 14:43:33:00

[Key Points] UNC says armistice violation found in North Korean mine in DMZ

Mine found south: UN Command investigators found an active North Korean anti-personnel mine on the South Korean side of the Military Demarcation Line and determined that an Armistice Agreement violation had occurred. Responsibility left open: UNC did not specify which side committed the violation, how the mine breached the agreement or which provisions were violated, saying the finding should be “interpreted as written.” Blasts injured troops: The finding followed two Sept. 21 explosions inside

2026-09-30 15:49:58:00

UN Command finds armistice violation over North Korean mine in DMZ

The US-led United Nations Command said Wednesday that an Armistice Agreement violation had occurred after investigators found a North Korean antipersonnel mine on the South Korean side of the inter-Korean border. "During the investigation, the team identified an active Democratic People's Republic of Korea anti-personnel mine on the ROK side of the Military Demarcation Line," UNC said in a statement, referring to the official names of North and South Korea, respectively. "Based on the findings o

2026-09-30 13:05:38:00