(3rd LD) N. Korea appears 'flustered' by S. Korea's DMZ blast findings, mine-clearing: defense minister

SEOUL, October 7 (Yonhap) -- Seoul is seeking to formally accuse North Korea of violating the Armistice Agreement following a joint investigation with the U.N. Command (UNC). This follows a land mine blast on September 21 that left three South Korean soldiers wounded. The incident suggests that North Korea planted mines on the South Korean side of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).

Seoul has concluded these border activities are a breach of the ceasefire agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. The ministry plans to formally declare these infractions and demands an immediate cessation of border incursions, restoration of the DMZ to its original state, and inter-Korean military talks to prevent future accidents.

They also aim to align the MDL markers along the DMZ. The mine blast has reignited discussions about the MDL, as the current markers are outdated. Both South and UNC use different sets of coordinates to define the MDL, while North Korea relies on its own physical markers. The UNC, under the armistice agreement, is seeking to clarify the MDL baseline and has communicated this to North Korea.

The ministry is also pushing for a fast-track transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul, including the certification of full operational capability (FOC). They plan to consult with Washington to establish a combined special operations component command by the end of the year.