Cheong Wa Dae denies military inspection of mine blast site connected to Lee's U.N. remarks

SEOUL, September 29 (Yonhap) -- The Cheong Wa Dae, or Blue House, has denied claims that the military's inspection of a mine blast site was linked to President Lee Jae Myung's remarks on sanctions relief for North Korea prior to the recent U.N. General Assembly. The opposition People Power Party has alleged that the government delayed the inspection due to fears that Lee's call for sanctions relief would be undermined if North Korea were found responsible for the mine blast that injured three South Korean soldiers near the Demilitarized Zone last week.

The military announced on Monday that preliminary findings suggest the explosion was most likely caused by illegally planted North Korean mines. According to a presidential official, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the U.N. Command decided on the timing of the inspection based solely on a military judgment, taking into account input from field commanders.

The military's on-site inspection of the mine accident is unrelated to the president's U.N. speech. During an interview with The New York Times before attending the U.N. General Assembly, Lee expressed belief in the "significant value" of a trade-off between sanctions and efforts to prevent further development of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile technology.