Unification Minister says DMZ mine blast heightens need for lasting peace

During a parliamentary review, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young highlighted that the September 21 land-mine blast in the Demilitarized Zone, which injured three South Korean troops, has intensified the call for "fundamental peace" on the Korean Peninsula. He urged thorough preparations to avoid future incidents and stressed that the event will not deter the ministry's pursuit of peaceful solutions. The ministry's response echoed this tone, emphasizing the need to break the cycle of hostility and foster a virtuous cycle of peace and prosperity through communication rather than confrontation.

Chung identified ending the long-running war and establishing a stable peace regime as the ministry's top priority, proposing to replace the fragile armistice with a continuous peace framework. He pledged that the government will work tirelessly to enable dialogue and act as a core peacemaker in Korean affairs.