To prevent emergencies in the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas, South Korea proposes negotiations to "draw a clear line" to North Korea

In September, three South Korean soldiers were injured by a landmine in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separates North and South Korea. After an investigation, Seoul determined that the incident was caused by North Korea and demanded an apology from Pyongyang authorities, but this was sternly refuted by the other side, raising tensions between the two sides.

Yonhap News Agency reported that a report submitted by the South Korean military to members of Congress on the 23rd revealed that North Korea has laid 960,000 landmines in the Demilitarized Zone since 2024.

In order to avoid emergencies in the DMZ, Kim Hong-chul, director of the Defense Policy Office of the South Korean Ministry of National Defense, announced that Seoul formally proposed to Pyongyang to hold a dialogue to clarify the precise boundaries of the two sides at the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and to discuss restarting military communication channels. The specific timetable and location can be discussed through Panmunjom, hoping to "get a positive response from North Korea." The South Korean Ministry of National Defense stated that including tripartite consultations with the United Nations Command (UNC) is one of the feasible ways. Otherwise, "if the current situation is allowed to continue, it may be difficult to predict subsequent developments."