(LEAD) N. Korea warns of 'powerful counteraction' if S. Korea intrudes 'even a millimeter' into its territory

North Korea issued a stern warning on Tuesday, threatening immediate and powerful retaliation if South Korea were to intrude even a millimeter into its territory. This ominous threat came after Seoul indicated it might respond to a recent land mine explosion on the inter-Korean border, which the South blames on its northern neighbor.

The North's foreign ministry made the declaration the day after South Korea's military concluded that mines planted by North Korea triggered the September 21 blast near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), resulting in the critical injuries of two South Korean soldiers. In addition, South Korea's military carried out a mine-clearing operation at the blast site on the same day, collaborating with the U.N.

Command (UNC), responsible for overseeing the border region. The ministry expressed indifference towards South Korea's efforts to remove the mines, asserting that they hold no relevance and should not be taken seriously. Nevertheless, the North emphasized that in the event of any violation of its territory, even the slightest, the border guard forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) would act swiftly and decisively.