SEOUL July 17. 2024 (Saba) - The southern Korea warned on Wednesday of fears of the drift of landmines planted by its northern neighbor to the south due to heavy rains.
According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik made remarks at a meeting of senior military leaders to discuss South Korea's capabilities to counter "any possible provocations by North Korea."
The meeting took place a day after Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned that South Korea would face "serious and grave consequences" if it allowed North Korean defectors to continue sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border.
Yonhap quoted an official in the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul as saying: "North Korea tend to lay mines indiscriminately without taking the relevant safety measures. Whether it happens deliberately or because of heavy rains, there is a greater likelihood of landmines being washed away."
With the suspension of communication channels between the two Koreas, the South Korean military has asked the U.N. Command to notify the North of the dangers of landmines that could drift to the South, the official said.
It is estimated that the North has laid tens of thousands of mines in the area in the past few months, mostly for the purpose of preventing North Koreans from crossing the border to enter the South, an official said.
Images released by South Korean defence showed different forms of landmines used by the North, such as leaf-like and wooden boxes. The ministry advised to refrain from touching suspected mines or other suspicious objects.
Since April, Pyongyang has deployed large numbers of troops in frontline areas, where troops are carrying out a range of activities, such as laying mines, erecting walls and strengthening roads for military operations.
Z.E
resource : SABA
| more of (International) |