Public disputes about relations between North Korea and South Korea, the Demilitarized Zone and the 1953 Armistice Agreement, and security on the Korean Peninsula involving the two Korean governments and the United Nations Command.
Published coverage on this page: 1 case · 4 statements. Statements are ordered newest first.
Seoul's military says North Korean mines likely caused two September 21 DMZ blasts that wounded three soldiers. North Korea calls the findings groundless. The UN Command said it identified an active North Korean mine south of the line but named no side.
Published
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4 matching statements
Role at the time: Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, the governing party, speaking at a party Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly
Statement summary
At a Democratic Party Supreme Council meeting on September 30, 2026, party leader Kim Min-seok said the DMZ explosion "has been revealed to be caused by North Korea planting landmines" south of the Military Demarcation Line. SBS reported that he also condemned what he called North Korea's violation of the Armistice Agreement, said North Korea must apologize, and urged the military to take countermeasures.
“The DMZ explosion has been revealed to be caused by North Korea planting landmines south of the Military Demarcation Line.”
What this label refers to
The case asks whether North Korean forces planted the mines. Kim said the explosion had been revealed to be caused by North Korea planting landmines south of the MDL and, in remarks SBS reported alongside, condemned an armistice violation and demanded an apology. That accepts the attribution as established and criticizes the conduct, so we labeled it Condemned. The wording is SBS's English rendering.
Role at the time: Chief director of operations at South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, reading the military's statement at a press briefing at the Ministry of National Defense
Response to this claim
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said on September 28, 2026 that North Korean land mines were highly likely the cause of the two explosions that wounded three South Korean soldiers south of the Military Demarcation Line on September 21, and said on September 30 that South Korean soldiers were seriously injured by North Korean landmines while conducting search operations south of that line.
Quotation excerpt
“This constitutes a blatant violation of the Armistice Agreement and undermines the spirit of existing inter-Korean agreements and must be halted immediately ... We strongly demand an apology and responsible measures from the North ... We…”
“This constitutes a blatant violation of the Armistice Agreement and undermines the spirit of existing inter-Korean agreements and must be halted immediately ... We strongly demand an apology and responsible measures from the North ... We make it explicitly clear that North Korea bears full responsibility for any future consequences that may arise”
Kang called the situation "a blatant violation of the Armistice Agreement" that must be halted, and in the same briefing said, "We strongly demand an apology and responsible measures from the North" and "North Korea bears full responsibility for any future consequences that may arise." That attributes the mines to North Korea and criticizes the conduct, so we labeled it Condemned. The JCS had not yet issued a final investigation result when he spoke.
Role at the time: Minister of National Defense, answering lawmakers at a plenary session of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee
Response to this claim
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said on September 28, 2026 that North Korean land mines were highly likely the cause of the two explosions that wounded three South Korean soldiers south of the Military Demarcation Line on September 21, and said on September 30 that South Korean soldiers were seriously injured by North Korean landmines while conducting search operations south of that line.
“It is clearly a violation of the armistice agreement, and the responsibility lies with North Korea, so we will take corresponding measures”
Kang said the explosion was clearly an armistice violation and that responsibility lies with North Korea, and he answered yes when asked whether he was certain North Korea-planted mines caused it. That accepts the attribution and criticizes the conduct. His pledge of corresponding measures was framed as applying if the cause is confirmed, but his answer on the cause was unqualified, so we labeled it Condemned. His remarks on how long the mine had been underground concern timing, not who planted it.
Role at the time: Chair of the People Power Party, the main opposition party, at a press conference
Statement summary
At a press conference on September 23, 2026, two days after the blasts and before the Joint Chiefs or the UN Command had reported findings, People Power Party chair Jang Dong-hyeok said the explosion was "not merely an accident but a clear provocation by North Korea." The Korea Herald reported that he suspected North Korean-made wooden-box mines could be behind it and that he said the investigation into whether the mines came from North Korea and whether they had drifted or been deliberately planted would not take long.
“This was not merely an accident but a clear provocation by North Korea, so our response must therefore be meant to address provocation, not an accident.”
What this label refers to
The case asks whether North Korean forces planted the mines. Jang said the explosion was "a clear provocation by North Korea," which attributes it to North Korea and criticizes it, so we labeled it Condemned. He said this before any investigation result, at a time when the Korea Herald described North Korean wooden-box mines as his suspicion.
Kim Min-seok is a South Korean politician and a member of the National Assembly for Yeongdeungpo-eul. In September 2026 he was leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, the governing party.
1 case and 1 statement
Kang Hyun-woo is a lieutenant general in the South Korean military and the chief director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The operations directorate he leads plans and directs the South Korean armed forces' operations.
1 case and 1 statement
Kim Yo Jong is a senior official of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party of Korea and the sister of leader Kim Jong Un. State media identified her in September 2026 as a department director of the party's Central Committee. She issues statements on relations with South Korea and the United States that the Korean Central News Agency publishes.
1 case and 2 statements
Kang Shin-chul is South Korea's minister of national defense. A retired four-star Army general, he was deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command before President Lee Jae Myung nominated him as defense minister on August 30, 2026. He took office on September 22, 2026.
1 case and 2 statements
Lee Jae Myung is the 21st president of South Korea, in office since June 2025, and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea. Before the presidency he was a lawyer, mayor of Seongnam and governor of Gyeonggi Province.
1 case and 1 statement
Kwon Dae-won is a lieutenant general in the South Korean Army and the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the second-ranking position on the body that commands the Republic of Korea armed forces.
1 case and 1 statement
Jang Dong-hyeok is a South Korean politician and a member of the National Assembly. In September 2026 he was chair of the People Power Party, the main opposition party.
1 case and 1 statement
