It appears that North Korea is laying additional mines north of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).
According to military authorities, on May 17, North Korea has been planting mines in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in the northern areas bordering Cheolwon and Yeoncheon in Gyeonggi Province since April. They have also been planting mines in the DMZ in the northern region of the western front. South Korean military has detected signs that North Korea has deployed hundreds of troops when conducting mine-laying operations. Over 1,000 troops were reportedly deployed in one day.
Since the end of last year, North Korea defined the inter-Korean relationship as an adversarial relationship between the two countries. Despite this, they have laid mines on the tactical roads in the DMZ near Arrowhead Ridge in Cheolwon County, Gangwon Province, as well as on the Gyeongui and Donghae land routes. North Korea appears to be laying mines more densely in an attempt to sever inter-Korean relations.
Kim Jong Un also stated in his speech at the 10th session of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly on January 15, “We must strictly implement step-by-step measures to separate all inter-Korean linkage conditions in the border areas thoroughly.”
However, the places where additional mines are being laid this time are mostly in the mountains and near streams. The South Korean military’s stance is that further analysis is needed to determine whether North Korea is trying to create a borderline by laying mines. Heavy equipment such as excavators were mobilized for the first time since the signing of the Armistice Agreement in 1953. Bringing heavy equipment into the DMZ without prior consultation with the United Nations Command, which manages and maintains the Armistice Agreement, constitutes a violation of the agreement.
South Korean military is not making a proportional response by laying mines like North Korea but rather is strengthening surveillance and security in the areas where mines are being laid.