SEOUL, Oct. 2 (Yonhap) -- The government is reviewing "all possible measures" in response to last week's explosion of North Korean land mines inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a senior official said Friday.
Three South Korean military officers were injured in the Sept. 21 blast during a search operation in the western sector of the DMZ. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) blamed North Korea for the DMZ blast and urged Pyongyang to apologize and take responsible measures.
"The mine incident is very unfortunate and has served as another stark reminder of the importance of our national security," the foreign ministry official told reporters.
"We are reviewing all possible measures, including past cases and those involving the United Nations. We would take steps once the final results of the investigation are available," he added.
The official noted a similar incident in 2015 could serve as a reference for the government's handling of the latest blast.
In 2015, the explosion of three wooden-box North Korean land mines south of the inter-Korean border seriously injured two South Korean soldiers.
The Seoul government subsequently submitted a letter to the U.N. Security Council outlining its findings, expressing regret over North Korea's provocation and urging Pyongyang to refrain from further provocations.
It also resumed loudspeaker broadcasts along the border and stepped up military readiness.
The U.N. Command, which oversees the border area, said the latest explosion constituted a violation of the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.
North Korea has denied responsibility, accusing South Korea of fabricating the findings and warning of "immediate and merciless" retaliation if its troops are fired upon.
A paramedic (in white circle) descends from a medical evacuation helicopter to hoist casualties from a land mine field inside the Demilitarized Zone after explosions occurred there on Sept. 21, 2026, in this photo released by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sept. 28. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
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