Pyongyang claims Seoul staged DMZ landmine incident to justify border fortifications

North Korea told the United Nations Security Council on Sunday that South Korea fabricated a landmine explosion that injured three soldiers. The accusation appears in a letter from Pyongyang's permanent representative to the council, which characterizes the September incident as a groundless attempt to shift blame for what it calls a dubious mine explosion.

The letter, reported by the Korean Central News Agency, frames the dispute as a strategic maneuver by Seoul. The envoy described the South Korean narrative as a sinister move to label Pyongyang's activities as a military invasion. He argued that these claims were a farce intended to evade responsibility for the rising tension on the Korean peninsula.

The incident occurred on September 21 inside the Demilitarized Zone, the buffer area separating the two nations. Seoul has maintained that North Korean landmines caused the blast, while Pyongyang has rejected that explanation. The disagreement has fueled a cycle of diplomatic complaints and military posturing between the two governments.

In the document, the North Korean representative defended ongoing construction and fortification work along the border. The letter described these efforts as a legitimate exercise of sovereignty that aligns strictly with the United Nations Charter. Conversely, the envoy criticized South Korea for violating the charter by firing warning shots at troops stationed in the zone.

Seoul states it uses warning shots to force North Korean personnel back across the Military Demarcation Line when they cross into the buffer. In recent years, North Korean workers have built tactical roads and fences near this boundary. The new letter adds to a series of recent diplomatic moves aimed at clarifying the status of the border.

South Korea has also engaged the Security Council on this issue. Last week, the Foreign Ministry wrote to the council's president, asserting that the blast was a clear violation of the 1953 Armistice Agreement. The UN Command, led by the United States, separately stated that North Korea's mine placement breached that same agreement.

Before the North Korean letter arrived, the South Korean Defence Ministry proposed military talks with Pyongyang. The goal of these negotiations would be to mutually confirm the precise location of the border to reduce the risk of accidental clashes.