Photo : YONHAP News
Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul says if last week’s explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone was caused by a land mine that North Korea buried recently, the ministry will take corresponding steps.
Kang gave that response at the National Assembly on Monday after a meeting with main opposition People Power Party Chair Jang Dong-hyeok, when a reporter asked directly what the government would do if that turned out to be the case.
Commenting on a media report suggesting soldiers who were on the scene when the explosion occurred reported having seen an object that looked similar to a North Korean wooden-box mine and appeared to be made of plastic, Kang said there are differing accounts.
Saying the military and the United Nations Command are conducting an on-site investigation, the minister said the ministry will provide a transparent explanation to the public once details are confirmed.
Kang also flatly dismissed the opposition camp’s claims that the military sought to cover up the incident or responded belatedly.