South Korean Defence Minister Kang Shin-chul said Tuesday that a North Korean land mine discovered near the site of last week's explosion inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) had been buried there by North Korean forces and was not a mine that had been washed away. The statement came after the South Korean military found a North Korean resin antipersonnel mine near the site of the September 21 blast, south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) separating the two Koreas.

The explosion left three South Korean soldiers injured, including two who suffered severe wounds. Responding to a question from Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the main opposition party, Kang said the mine discovered at the site was buried in the ground. He also said it was presumed to be linked to North Korea's work to reinforce its border, when asked whether he believed the mine had been deliberately planted by Pyongyang.

Kang said the possibility that the mine had been swept away was very low, citing observations that multiple mines had been placed around one to two metres apart. Earlier on Tuesday, the defence minister said at least four mines were believed to have been placed at or near the site of the DMZ explosion. When asked whether he was certain that the blast had been caused by mines planted by North Korea, Kang responded in the affirmative.

Also Read: Defence Secretary Backs 114-Rafale Plan, Confirms Continued Tejas Development

The South Korean military had earlier said that three mines were believed to have been buried at the blast site, including the two that detonated. This assessment was based partly on statements from soldiers who reported seeing an unexploded mine while retreating from the area. Following a joint inspection with the United Nations Command (UNC) on Monday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North Korean mines were highly likely to have caused the previous week's explosion.

The blast occurred during an operation to clear a path for a joint inspection by the South Korean military and the UNC. The inspection was intended to examine Seoul's suspicions that North Korea had illegally buried land mines across the border, potentially violating the armistice agreement that ended active fighting in the 1950-53 Korean War. Kang agreed with a lawmaker's assessment that the incident constituted a violation of the armistice if the mines were confirmed to have been planted by North Korean troops.

Kang reiterated that South Korea would take corresponding measures if the cause of the explosion was confirmed. He did not specify what those measures would involve, but said Seoul would cooperate with the UNC and the international community and would seek to clearly hold those responsible to account. The latest findings have added to the South Korean military's assessment of the circumstances surrounding the blast and the suspected placement of mines near the border.

Also Read: CWC Inside Story: Banter, Barbs and a Push to Take SIR Fight to the Streets