Three Injured in Suspected DMZ Landmine Blast

Three South Korean service members were injured on Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, in an explosion during an operation south of the Military Demarcation Line in the western DMZ. They were evacuated to the Armed Forces Capital Hospital, two by emergency helicopter and the third by land then airlift. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the military is investigating. Authorities suspect a landmine but have not determined whether it is a remnant of the 1950-53 Korean War or was planted more recently. Yonhap, citing a military official, reported at least one soldier seriously injured; SBS reported two of the three seriously injured. SBS said the blast occurred during a search and reconnaissance operation by the Army’s 25th Infantry Division. The JCS had previously identified topographical changes south of the DMZ and was consulting the United Nations Command on possible North Korean mine-laying. South Korean military estimates put about 800,000 mines in the DMZ region. North Korea has reportedly added mines and anti-tank barriers since designating South Korea its principal enemy in 2024. There was no indication of direct cross-border fire or a military confrontation. A prior blast on Nov. 20, 2025, injured an Army staff sergeant during a land-mine detection mission in Paju.