South Korean and UN troops resume hazardous DMZ inspection after mine blast
South Korean forces and United Nations Command personnel returned to the western DMZ on Sunday to sweep for mines near the site of a suspected blast that wounded three officers a week earlier.
A joint team of roughly 40 South Korean troops, United Nations Command staff and armistice commission members resumed a mine-clearance mission in the western Demilitarized Zone on Sunday. Beginning at about 9 a.m., the group used detectors to sweep routes and widen a path toward the suspected blast site that injured three South Korean officers on Sept. 21. Several officers who were part of the original response also joined the effort.
Persistent danger from unidentified mines prevented the team from reaching the exact location, and fatigue among personnel led to the operation being suspended at sunset. Officials said safety considerations required postponing further work until conditions improve. The mission will be repeated as investigators seek to confirm whether a North Korean mine caused the earlier explosion.
Why it matters
The inspection highlights ongoing security risks in the DMZ and the fragile peace between South and North Korea.
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