South Korea's military and the United Nations Command began an on-site investigation on the 27th into a suspected landmine explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone.
"South Korean forces and the U.N. Command have jointly reached an area close to the suspected site of the explosion inside the DMZ to conduct an on-site investigation," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a notice to reporters.
About 40 people took part, including South Korean operational troops, U.N. Command personnel such as the secretary of the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission, and officials from investigative agencies. Some of the officers who carried out the operation on the 21st also joined the team.
From around 9 a.m. until sunset, the team conducted precision searches using mine detectors and other equipment along access routes inside the DMZ, and worked to widen those routes further.
The investigation was halted for the day out of safety concerns, however, as the area is an unconfirmed minefield inside the DMZ that carries a high level of risk and fatigue had built up sharply among personnel during the lengthy operation. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it plans to resume the on-site investigation at a later date.
"South Korean forces and the U.N. Command will thoroughly determine the cause of the accident through further on-site investigation," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. "We plan to explain confirmed facts to the public objectively and transparently."
