On the Recent Explosion in the Demilitarized Zone and Aggravation of Inter-Korean Relations
On
August 4, 2015, an incident occurred to the south of the Demilitarized
Zone (DMZ), which divides the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and
the South Korea along the 38th parallel.
According
to the Yonhap News Agency, two South Korean soldiers sustained serious
leg injuries during a routine patrol owing to an explosion, which
occurred at 7:40 a.m. local (1:40 a.m. Moscow) time in the Incheon district, Gyeonggi province,
near the city of Paju. A representative of the local military command
told the agency that “there is no probability of involvement of the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the incident.” He also added
that most probably the explosion had been triggered by an anti-personnel
mine.
to the Yonhap News Agency, two South Korean soldiers sustained serious
leg injuries during a routine patrol owing to an explosion, which
occurred at 7:40 a.m. local (1:40 a.m. Moscow) time in the Incheon district, Gyeonggi province,
near the city of Paju. A representative of the local military command
told the agency that “there is no probability of involvement of the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the incident.” He also added
that most probably the explosion had been triggered by an anti-personnel
mine.
Speaker
of the Ministry of National Defense (MND) Kim Min-seok expressed his
regret about the incident and noted that, due to prompt action, the
victims’ lives were no longer at risk. In addition, the report by Yonhap
immediately noted that the territory where the incident occurred is
”littered” with mines, many of which had been planted back in the days
of the1950-1953 Korean War. The maps of minefields do not really help
identify the exact position of mines because over the years many of them
have moved due to floods, wind and soil erosion.
of the Ministry of National Defense (MND) Kim Min-seok expressed his
regret about the incident and noted that, due to prompt action, the
victims’ lives were no longer at risk. In addition, the report by Yonhap
immediately noted that the territory where the incident occurred is
”littered” with mines, many of which had been planted back in the days
of the1950-1953 Korean War. The maps of minefields do not really help
identify the exact position of mines because over the years many of them
have moved due to floods, wind and soil erosion.
It
did not look anything other than just an ordinary incident, but as
early, as August 7, high-ranking South Korean military commander, Jung
Ho-sub, put his units on alert so that they could respond to further
North Korean provocations and soon, the topic of North Korean provocations became the talk of the town.
did not look anything other than just an ordinary incident, but as
early, as August 7, high-ranking South Korean military commander, Jung
Ho-sub, put his units on alert so that they could respond to further
North Korean provocations and soon, the topic of North Korean provocations became the talk of the town.
Meanwhile,
the injuries sustained by the military personnel during the incident
turned out to be far more serious than had earlier been estimated. Both
border guards lost their legs, meaning they will be officially disabled
and will become eligible for life-long compensation.
the injuries sustained by the military personnel during the incident
turned out to be far more serious than had earlier been estimated. Both
border guards lost their legs, meaning they will be officially disabled
and will become eligible for life-long compensation.
In
the end, the North Korean involvement was publicly announced on August
10. According to South Korean Brigadier General Ahn Young-Ho, who led
the incident investigation commission, “it was discovered that it was an
anti-personnel mine (there were three of them, to be exact), enclosed
in one of the wooden boxes customarily used by the North Korean army,”
“…the enemy has deliberately planted mines to inflict damage to the
armed forces of the Republic of Korea,” as well as to impede the
forthcoming joint military drills of the Republic of Korea and the US (Ulchi Freedom Guardian).
First appeared: http://journal-neo.org/2015/08/21/on-the-recent-explosion-in-the-demilitarized-zone-and-aggravation-of-inter-korean-relations/
the end, the North Korean involvement was publicly announced on August
10. According to South Korean Brigadier General Ahn Young-Ho, who led
the incident investigation commission, “it was discovered that it was an
anti-personnel mine (there were three of them, to be exact), enclosed
in one of the wooden boxes customarily used by the North Korean army,”
“…the enemy has deliberately planted mines to inflict damage to the
armed forces of the Republic of Korea,” as well as to impede the
forthcoming joint military drills of the Republic of Korea and the US (Ulchi Freedom Guardian).
First appeared: http://journal-neo.org/2015/08/21/on-the-recent-explosion-in-the-demilitarized-zone-and-aggravation-of-inter-korean-relations/
