Following mine explosions that injured three South Korean soldiers in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), President Lee Jae-myung reiterated his call on Thursday, October 1, to resume dialogue with Pyongyang. Seoul and the United Nations Command attribute the explosions to North Korean mines, a conclusion that North Korea disputes.
A call for dialogue after the incident
In a speech marking Armed Forces Day, Lee Jae-myung called on the North to contribute to restoring trust between the two countries. He also affirmed that his government would continue to seek concrete meas to reduce military tensions.
The explosions occurred on September 21, near the military demarcation line. Three South Korean soldiers were injured. According to reports from France 24, one officer lost a foot.
The United Nations Command and the South Korean government have blamed North Korean mines and accused Pyongyang of violating the armistice that ended the fighting in the Korean War in 1953. North Korean authorities have denied any responsibility.
Disputed responsibilities
The attribution of the explosions remains at the heart of the dispute. On September 28, the South Korean military estimated that mines laid by the North were most likely the cause of the incident. Pyongyang subsequently denied this accusation. Seoul, for its part, demanded an apology.
The South Korean president had also called for a reduction in tensions before his speech on October 1st: on September 29th, he had requested a thorough investigation into the explosion and indicated that meas would be taken based on its findings.
Relationships without dialogue
Exchanges between Seoul and Pyongyang have been suspended since Kim Jong-un abandoned the prospect of reunification in late 2023 and designated South Korea as an enemy. Since then, North Korea has been reinforcing its positions in the DMZ, a buffer zone approximately 250 kilometers long and four kilometers wide, according to reports from France 24.
Having come to power in June 2025, Lee Jae-myung has launched numerous initiatives to re-establish dialogue with the North, so far without success. His latest appeal for trust therefore comes in a context where the two countries remain at odds over the explosions and where contacts are still broken.
Source: France 24 – News & current events – Live international news (www.france24.com)
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Author: FRANCE 24
