South Korea’s defense minister says a mine-clearing operation in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is a “decisive” response to North Korea, after a Sept. 21 mine blast injured three South Korean soldiers. Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul makes the remarks after the South Korean military announces the final findings of a joint investigation with the U.N. Command into the incident.
Kang says the land-mine removal, carried out Monday at the site of the blast, is unprecedented in the buffer zone between the two Koreas. According to the joint probe, antipersonnel mines deliberately planted by North Korean troops south of the Military Demarcation Line were responsible for the explosion. He also responds to criticism that South Korea’s actions were too “passive” or “defensive,” saying the operation reflected necessary measures.
Across the outlets, the central points match: the mine blast leads to a joint South Korea-U.N. Command investigation; the findings attribute the cause to North Korean-planted mines south of the MDL; and Kang frames the subsequent DMZ mine-removal work as a significant, unprecedented step. Coverage differs mainly in wording and emphasis on the mission’s historical character and its role as a response.
