Defense minister 'cannot say for certain' DMZ mine was from North Korea

New Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul on Monday left open the possibility that the mine explosion in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) was not caused by a North Korean wooden-box mine.

“Some accounts suggest it was not a wooden-box mine, so we cannot say for certain what it was,” Kang said when asked by reporters whether he had been briefed on claims by troops that they had spotted a North Korean wooden-box mine and that another remained at the scene. The minister pledged to provide the public with a transparent account of the incident as soon as the investigation is completed.

Three South Korean active-duty soldiers were injured in an unidentified explosion on Sept. 21 while conducting an operation south of the military demarcation line (MDL) in the western section of the DMZ. The explosion has also stirred allegations of a North Korean incursion across the MDL to plant the mine.

Should the investigation determine that the mine was recently planted by North Korea, Kang said, “An appropriate response will be necessary, and we will act accordingly,” after a meeting with the opposition People Power Party (PPP) leader Jang Dong-hyeok.

On who had set Tuesday as the initial date for the military’s on-site investigation, Kang said the decision involved assessments by the United Nations Command, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and the unit at the scene. The minister also noted that the matter would be clarified at Monday’s briefing.

Kang flatly rejected criticism from the opposition that the military had attempted to minimize or conceal the incident and dragged its feet in responding.

“What could the military possibly cover up?” Kang said. “We will proceed transparently. Let me reiterate that there was no intentional delay or attempt to hide anything.”

Earlier in the day, PPP leader Jang called for a thorough fact-finding about the explosion and a stern response if the mine is found to have been newly planted by North Korea during his talks with Kang.

“If the DMZ mine explosion was caused by a mine newly planted by North Korea, that would constitute a clear act of aggression and cannot be overlooked,” Jang said. “I ask that you approach this incident with the same mindset you would have if an enemy-planted mine killed a fellow soldier during wartime.”

PPP chief also lambasted what he described as the Lee Jae Myung administration’s failures on defense and national security.

“So far, the Lee administration has only disappointed the public on defense and security and deepened concerns,” Jang said. “The defense minister must answer to the public, even if that sometimes means standing up to the president and even if doing so ultimately costs them their post.”

The Joint Chiefs of Staff also said that differing witness accounts made it difficult to determine the type of mine involved during a briefing on Monday.

“Some accounts described it as resembling a wooden-box mine but appearing to be made of plastic, while others suggested it was a different type of explosive,” Hwang Ju-bong, a senior JCS official, said. “Several types of mines are similar in appearance to wooden-box mines, so we will need to identify the exact type at the scene before providing further details.”

Hwang also stopped short of confirming the type of mine or whether witnesses had seen it buried. “Descriptions vary from person to person, and some witnesses simply said it was ‘similar’ to a wooden-box mine,” Hwang said. “Whether they actually saw it buried still needs to be confirmed. They said they saw something resembling a wooden-box mine near the explosion site.”

Hwang explained that descriptions of the mine’s material were based only on its visible appearance and could not be confirmed until investigators examined the scene. He added that authorities also needed to cross-check witness accounts because it was unclear whether different troops had seen the same object.

“We intend to establish exactly what caused the explosion and identify the mine’s shape and type based on the on-site investigation and the National Forensic Service’s analysis,” Hwang said. “The results have not yet been formally delivered to us.”

Kang repeated his remarks that the military would take “corresponding action” if the mine is ultimately confirmed to have been recently planted by North Korea after meeting ruling Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok on Monday.

The defense minister’s meetings with the leaders of the two main political parties also covered other key defense matters.

On the issue of merging the military academies, Jang asked Kang to “listen to the concerns of younger cadets” as he considers the matter.

“I will carry out my duties as minister without losing sight of the principles I started with,” Kang said. “I will build a victorious [South] Korean military that is relentless against the enemy and respected by the public.”

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, PPP spokesperson Park Sung-hoon said the party had called for a thorough investigation to address public questions about the incident.

“The PPP will closely scrutinize how the Defense Ministry and the Lee Jae Myung administration deal with this matter,” Park said. PPP spokesperson said Kang had assured Jang that he understood his concerns and would take steps to prevent them from materializing.

BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]