BTN News: Floods could potentially carry North Korean landmines into South Korea, warned the South Korean military on Wednesday. This warning comes after North Korea recently laid tens of thousands of additional lethal explosives along the heavily fortified border between the two rival nations.
Since April, North Korea has been undertaking extensive fortification work along the border. This includes laying landmines, installing anti-tank barriers, and reinforcing roads. Officials in Seoul believe these measures aim to bolster North Korea’s security and prevent soldiers and citizens from defecting to the South.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) in South Korea informed local media that summer rains could cause these landmines to drift across the border. They also expressed concerns that North Korea might deliberately send the mines downstream as a form of provocation. The Associated Press obtained details of this briefing.
Tensions escalated further when Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, threatened additional countermeasures on Tuesday. This was in response to South Korean activists sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border using balloons. North Korea has retaliated in the past by sending trash-filled balloons to the South, which caused minor disturbances.
In a statement, the JCS reported that North Korean military personnel have suffered “many casualties” due to the explosion of around 10 mines and the extreme heat during these intense border fortification efforts.
It is estimated that around two million landmines are scattered across the Korean border, which stretches for 248 kilometers (154 miles) and is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) wide. Experts say that neither nation has effectively managed their minefields and are unsure of the exact number and locations of the mines.
During summer, it is not uncommon for wooden boxes containing North Korean mines to be washed downstream, leading to fatal accidents in the South. In 2015, a mine explosion attributed to the North severely injured two South Korean soldiers, bringing the two countries to the brink of armed conflict.
The South Korean JCS stated that they are investigating other potential provocations from the North, such as cross-border shooting at the South Korean balloons. The South Korean military is enhancing its readiness to counter any possible aggression from the secretive regime.
North Korea is extremely sensitive to the activities of South Korean activists who send anti-Pyongyang leaflets, viewing them as a threat to its political system and a challenge to its strict control over foreign information for its 26 million residents, according to experts.
In summary, the South Korean military is on high alert, preparing for the possibility of North Korean landmines being swept into their territory by summer floods or intentionally sent downstream. With the recent threats from Kim Yo Jong and ongoing activist activities, tensions on the Korean peninsula remain high, requiring vigilance and preparedness from both sides.
