World : 3 S. Korean Military Officers Injured In Unidentified Explosion During Operation At DMZ

Three military officers sustained injuries during a suspected landmine explosion that took place during a search operation at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Monday, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The incident occurred south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the western sector of the DMZ. Although the nature of the explosion is yet to be confirmed, it is suspected to be caused by a landmine.

The identity of the perpetrator, whether North Korean troops or the South Korean military, remains unknown. Two of the injured officers were airlifted to a hospital for treatment, while the remaining officers will also undergo a medical examination upon their arrival at the hospital. Authorities are conducting an investigation into the cause of the explosion and are considering the possibility of an unidentified landmine going off during a DMZ route clearance operation.

Furthermore, North Korea has been reinforcing its border since April 2024 by strengthening barbed wire fences, planting mines, and erecting anti-tank barriers along the MDL. The JCS has identified some terrain changes in areas south of the DMZ and is in consultations with the United Nations Command (UNC) regarding the possibility of North Korean troops planting landmines.

This marks the first explosion within the DMZ since November 2025, when a South Korean soldier suffered an ankle fracture while on a mine detection mission. The last recorded landmine explosion within the DMZ occurred in August 2015 when three wooden-box landmines planted by North Korea detonated on the South Korean side, resulting in one staff sergeant losing both legs and another losing one ankle.