Three South Korean soldiers injured in DMZ blast near border, military says

Three South Korean military officers sustained injuries on Monday in a mysterious blast while performing an operation in the western portion of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that separates North and South Korea, according to Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). Two of the injured personnel were airlifted by helicopter, while the third was due to be transported by road and subsequently airlifted, the JCS reported, offering no further specifics on their health status.

Local media speculated that the explosion might have been triggered by a mine. The incident occurred south of the Military Demarcation Line within the DMZ, a heavily fortified boundary that has stood between the two nations since the conclusion of the 1950-1953 Korean War with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. The area is notorious for recurring hazards such as mine explosions and other blasts, as legacy devices and suspected stray mines continue to pose risks to military personnel on both sides.

North Korea has ramped up fortification activities near the border since March, including mine-laying and fence construction, according to media reports. Earlier this month, South Korean legislator Yu Yong-weon alleged that North Korean forces had built minefields and other installations that encroach upon the DMZ by approximately 10 to 15 meters (33-49 ft) at six points in the western sector.