THREE SOUTH KOREAN SOLDIERS INJURED IN DMZ BORDER EXPLOSION

An explosion in the Demilitarized Zone separating South Korea and North Korea injured three South Korean soldiers during an unspecified operation on Monday, South Korea's Defence Ministry said. Two of the soldiers were airlifted from the scene by helicopter, while the third was taken out by land before also being airlifted. All three are being treated at a military hospital near Seoul. The ministry said the cause was not immediately clear; one report described it as a landmine explosion, though officials did not confirm whether a North Korean land mine was responsible.

The DMZ runs 248 kilometres and about four kilometres wide, and is among the world's most heavily armed borders. An estimated two million mines lie in and around the zone, lined with barbed wire, tank traps and troops from both countries. It dates back to the armistice that ended the 1950-1953 Korean War, a conflict never formally concluded with a peace treaty. North Korea has added mines, anti-tank barriers and other fortifications along the front line in recent months, as relations between the two countries have deteriorated sharply.

South Korea has reported growing concern about increased North Korean soldier activity near the demarcation line amid prolonged tensions between the two countries. Unconfirmed media reports say North Korean soldiers crossed the line more than 20 times in August alone, though the South Korean military has not officially confirmed this. In April 2025, South Korean forces fired warning shots to repel around ten North Korean soldiers who crossed into the eastern DMZ, and the soldiers retreated after audio warnings were broadcast. North Korean troops also crossed the border three times in June 2024, prompting South Korea to fire warning shots.