About 40 officials took part in an initial search of the area near the site of the Sept. 21 explosion, according to the JCS. The investigation is aimed at determining the cause and origin of the blast, with authorities saying they will make the findings public, Reuters reported.
The explosion occurred while South Korean troops were clearing a route in the western sector of the DMZ, the heavily fortified buffer zone separating the two Koreas. Three military officers were injured, including two who suffered serious wounds.
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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has said the explosion was caused by a landmine. However, authorities have not established whether the device was planted by North Korean forces, South Korean forces or originated from another source.
South Korea’s military has been examining mine fragments recovered from the site as part of its efforts to determine their origin. Earlier reports said investigators were keeping multiple possibilities open, including the possibility that mines laid by North Korean forces could have been involved.
The investigation is being conducted in coordination with the UN Command because the blast site is located along a newly cleared route inside the DMZ. South Korean and UN officials conducted a joint survey of the area on Saturday to secure an access route and assess conditions ahead of the on-site investigation.
The incident has drawn calls from opposition lawmakers for greater transparency over the origins of the device. The military said it would continue searching the area and publicly disclose the outcome of its investigation.
Mine explosions remain a recurring danger in and around the DMZ, where landmines and other explosive remnants from decades of military confrontation have injured personnel on both sides.
South Korean media have also reported that North Korean forces resumed border fortification work in March, including mine-laying and fence construction, although the military has not yet confirmed that North Korea was responsible for the Sept. 21 explosion.
