South Korean troops and the United Nations Command (UNC) inspected an area near the site of a suspected mine blast in the Demilitarized Zone, the buffer between North and South Korea, but could not safely reach the site, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.
About 40 personnel took part in the joint operation, according to Yonhap News Agency.
They used mine detectors and cleared a route through the area from morning until sundown.
The team stopped because unidentified mines could still be present and personnel were exhausted, the JCS said.
The explosion occurred near the Military Demarcation Line in Paju, north of Seoul, seriously injuring two South Korean officers.
They were among roughly a dozen troops returning from a route-clearing operation intended to allow the UNC to inspect areas where North Korean mines were suspected.
The cause of the blast has not been established, as the JCS said the military and the UNC would continue investigating and release their findings.
Mines Along the Border
The Demilitarized Zone is the heavily mined buffer separating North and South Korea. A demarcation line runs through it, marking where each side’s territory begins.
The recent blast occurred on the southern side of that line.
In recent years, Seoul accused Pyongyang of having planted tens of thousands of mines and built fences along the border, continuing the work through extreme heat and monsoon rains.
South Korea also reported several instances of North Korean soldiers crossing the border, reportedly while working on the fortifications.
