DMZ mine explodes; North soldier hurt

A North Korean soldier was seriously injured when a mine exploded inside the western Demilitarized Zone, where the two Koreas are working to relink the cross-border railway and a road. The accident took place about 10: 25 a.m. yesterday on the North Korean side of the construction corridor, the South Korean National Defense Ministry said.

"An extremely loud explosion occurred at a point 60 meters north of the Military Demarcation Line," a ministry source said. "The South Korean side observed that a North Korean soldier working on a mine-removal operation and leveling the site had his foot torn off."

The injured soldier was immediately removed by four other soldiers to a truck and then evacuated. "It is the first time that a mine explosion on the North Korean side has been witnessed," the official added.

The two Koreas were scheduled to complete mine removal Saturday.

Meanwhile, North Koreans continued to bring firearms into the corridor inside the Demilitarized Zone, despite South Korea's earlier protest. Bringing in firearms other than personal weapons violates the Sept. 17 inter-Korean military safeguard agreement. The South Korean National Defense Ministry asked the UN command to look into the case.

by Lee Chul-hee