Defense minister visits soldiers injured in suspected DMZ land mine blast

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul journeyed to a military hospital on Wednesday to offer solace to two Army soldiers who sustained injuries in a suspected land mine blast within the inter-Korean border. The incident, which occurred on Monday, left a battalion commander with a severed ankle and a noncommissioned officer with a fractured ankle.

At the Armed Forces Capital Hospital in Seongnam, near Seoul, the minister met with the wounded soldiers and their families, expressing his profound condolences and emphasizing the soldiers' heroism in shielding their fellow service members. Kang assured the government would provide comprehensive support for their medical care and recovery.

The victims, a lieutenant colonel and a sergeant first class from the 25th Infantry Division, were at the time clearing a path for a U.N. Command inspection of North Korea's border-hardening measures, including mine-laying and fencing, scheduled to commence in the near future.