North Korea denies planting DMZ mines that injured three South Korean soldiers and warns of retaliation

Pyongyang called the South Korean investigation a "conspiratorial farce" and warned of a response if Seoul targets its border workers.

By Felo News Desk · Published Wed, 30 Sep 2026 06:18:13 GMT

North Korea rejected South Korean findings that its landmines injured three soldiers in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on 21 September, and the sister of leader Kim Jong Un warned of retaliation if Seoul attacks its border workers, according to statements reported by the Independent.

What happened

On 21 September, two consecutive explosions occurred in the western sector of the DMZ, wounding three South Korean military officers. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, after a joint inspection with the U.S.-led United Nations Command, announced a preliminary assessment that the blasts were caused by North Korean mines. A subsequent search on 24 September uncovered an additional mine, prompting the UN Command to state that North Korea had breached the 1953 armistice.

What the reports add

The United Nations Command said it was addressing the breach “through established mechanisms,” but gave no further detail.
Both Independent articles note that the Joint Chiefs of Staff assessment followed a joint inspection of the site with the U.S.-led United Nations Command.
South Korean Defence Minister Kang Shin‑chul warned that Seoul would consider “corresponding measures” if a final investigation confirmed North Korean responsibility.
Kang Hyunwoo, chief director of operations for the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, publicly urged Pyongyang to apologise and to take “responsible measures” to prevent future incidents.
Kwon Dae‑won, vice‑chairman of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, said there was a “very high possibility” that North Korean mines caused the explosions, noting no record of South Korean mine‑laying in the area.
The explosions occurred about 10 metres south of the military demarcation line while South Korean troops were constructing a new patrol path through dense vegetation that had not been visited for decades.

What was said

"Conspiratorial farce" – Kim Yo Jong, described as the second‑most powerful figure in Pyongyang, dismissed the South Korean assessment as a fabricated pretext for military provocation (Independent).

"When a single bullet is hit on our land, they must be prepared for a lot," Kim Yo Jong warned that any fire on North Korean border workers would trigger “immediate and merciless retaliatory action” (Independent).

"We clearly state that North Korea bears full responsibility for any future developments," Kang Hyunwoo said, urging an apology and responsible measures (Independent).

"Our soldiers have never crossed the border," Kim Yo Jong asserted, defending North Korea’s border‑fortification work as a legitimate exercise of sovereignty (Independent).

How it came about

Felo News previously covered the initial injury of three officers on 21 September (Three South Korean officers injured in DMZ explosion) and the subsequent attribution of the blast to North Korean mines on 28 September (South Korea attributes DMZ blast to North Korean mines). Those pieces documented the unfolding investigation and the heightened tensions surrounding the DMZ prior to the latest North Korean denial.

Key facts

Three South Korean officers were injured in two explosions on 21 September in the western DMZ. (independent.co.uk)
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff and the UN Command preliminarily concluded the blasts were caused by North Korean mines. (independent.co.uk)
North Korea, via Kim Yo Jong, denied planting the mines and called the South Korean report a conspiratorial farce. (independent.co.uk)
South Korean Defence Minister Kang Shin‑chul warned of "corresponding measures" if a final investigation confirms North Korean responsibility. (independent.co.uk)