Explosion in Demilitarized Zone Injures Three South Korean Soldiers

Three soldiers from the Republic of Korea Army’s 25th Infantry Division were injured during an operation in the Demilitarized Zone along the border with North Korea.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the incident, according to Newsis.

The incident occurred on the morning of September 21, 2026, in the western part of the Demilitarized Zone, south of the Military Demarcation Line.

According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the soldiers were carrying out a search or reconnaissance operation when an unidentified explosion occurred. The Joint Chiefs of Staff did not specify the type of explosive device involved and have not yet determined the exact cause of the incident.

An anti-personnel mine likely caused the explosion. Two soldiers suffered serious injuries, while another sustained minor injuries.

Two of the injured soldiers were evacuated to a hospital by medical helicopters. The third was initially scheduled to be evacuated by ground transport and then taken to the hospital by helicopter.

South Korean authorities have not yet determined who planted the mine, if it was indeed the cause of the explosion.

Neither South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense nor the government has made any direct accusations so far. However, the mine is believed to be potentially linked to North Korea’s ongoing engineering work along the border.

South Korean military officials say that since 2024, North Korea has been laying mines, installing barbed-wire barriers, clearing land, and building fortifications in areas north of the Military Demarcation Line.

In June, South Korean officials said North Korean troops had been preparing areas for mine-laying just a few meters from the Military Demarcation Line.

In July 2026, the Joint Chiefs of Staff also warned that heavy rainfall could cause North Korean mines to drift into South Korean territory. According to the South Korean military, flooding could displace mines laid north of the border and carry them downstream into waterways leading south.

Militarnyi previously reported that South Korean troops fired warning shots after a group of North Korean soldiers crossed the Military Demarcation Line.