Three South Korean military officers were wounded in an explosion in the western sector of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Monday, according to Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Ministry of Defence stated that the cause of the blast remains under investigation, though local media reports have suggested a landmine may be responsible.
Following the incident, two of the officers were evacuated from the site by helicopter, while the third was transported by land before being airlifted. All three individuals are currently receiving treatment at a military hospital near Seoul.
The DMZ, which spans 248 kilometers in length and 4 kilometers in width, remains one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world. It is estimated that approximately 2 million landmines are located within or near the zone, which serves as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War. Explosions involving legacy devices or stray mines have periodically resulted in injuries to military personnel on both sides of the border.
The incident occurs amid heightened concerns in South Korea regarding increased activity by North Korean forces near the military demarcation line as Pyongyang continues to bolster its border defenses.
Article source: www.aljazeera.com | Image credit: www.aljazeera.com