The North Korean military recently experienced multiple explosions, resulting in numerous casualties, while laying mines in the northern part of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
Notably, North Korea has been laying mines that look like a leaf, which are difficult to distinguish with the naked eye. Military authorities are preparing measures to prevent these mines from drifting into the South or being deliberately scattered by North Korea during heavy rainfall.
An official from the Ministry of National Defense stated, “Some areas where the North Korean military has laid mines are connected to shared rivers such as the Imjin River, Yeokgok Stream, Hwa River, and Inbuk Stream. During heavy rains, there is a risk that these mines could be swept into our territory.”
The ministry urged people near these shared rivers to be cautious of North Korean mines. They advised that if anyone finds an unidentified object suspected to be a mine, they should not touch it and should report it immediately to the nearest military unit or police station.
Additionally, North Korea is using the aforementioned type of mine, known as ‘leaf mines,’ which are designed to resemble leaves and are difficult to detect with the naked eye. These mines contain approximately 40 grams of explosive, giving them a blast power between that of typical anti-personnel mines (about 20 grams) and wooden-box mines (about 70 grams).