10 / 10
Three South Korean officers injured in DMZ explosion
Three South Korean officers were injured during an operation near the inter-Korean border.
What happened
Three South Korean military officers were injured in an explosion during an operation south of the Military Demarcation Line in the western DMZ. The Defence Ministry said the cause was unclear. Two officers were taken out by helicopter; the third travelled by land before being airlifted. All are receiving military-hospital treatment near Seoul.
Numbers
- 3 officersinjured during the border operation — All were hospitalised
- 248 kilometreslength of the Demilitarized Zone — About four kilometres wide
- 2 million minesestimated within and near border — Estimate, not incident count
Questions
- Why does the DMZ exist?
- It was created after the Korean War ended in an armistice, leaving the two Koreas without a peace treaty.
- Why are mines a concern there?
- The area contains legacy mines, and suspected stray devices have periodically injured personnel on both sides of the border.
- How is the border protected?
- Barbed-wire fences, tank traps and combat troops guard the border on both sides, alongside the mined areas.
- What must the inquiry determine?
- Investigators must determine whether the explosion involved a North Korean mine, a South Korean mine or another explosive device.
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
The catch
Authorities have not identified the explosive device or released details of the officers' injuries.
The cause remains under investigation.