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N. Korea denies role in DMZ mine blasts, demands proof

August 14, 2015

A South Korean soldier re-enacts planting of a wooden-box mine on the south side of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) fence near the city of Paju, on Aug. 9, 2015, in this photo released on Aug. 10, by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. North Korea is believed to have masterminded the Aug. 4 incident in which the explosion of wooden-box mines severed the legs of two South Korean staff sergeants on a regular scouting mission, the Defense Ministry said Aug. 10. (Yonhap)

South Korea says this is how North Korea did it, but North Korea denied involvement and demanded evidence. (Yonhap)

SEOUL (Yonhap) — North Korea Friday denied its involvement in the landmine explosion on the South Korean side of the demilitarized zone, demanding Seoul provide solid proof.

North Korea’s National Defense Commission said in a statement that it does not make sense for it to bury the landmines in the first place.

“It is a bad habit of the South Korean puppet forces to groundlessly link whatever deplorable event occurs in South Korea with the North,” the commission’s English-language statement read. “They seek a sinister aim whenever they orchestrate a ridiculous farce.”

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff immediately refuted the statement, adding that the North will suffer the consequences of its actions.

Three wooden-box landmines, which South Korea claims were buried by North Korea, exploded on the South Korean side of the DMZ on Aug. 4, as one staff sergeant lost both legs and the other lost one ankle during their patrol mission.

The North’s statement came 10 days after the accident and four days after South Korea designated Pyongyang responsible.

“If our army really needs to achieve a military purpose, we would have used strong firearms, and not three units of mines,” the Korean-language version of the North Korean statement read.

“(Seoul) should bring forth a video that can prove (Pyongyang was behind the explosion),” it continued. “If they have none, they shall not speak of the North-led provocations.

“Only disgrace of fabrication shall grow for Park Geun-hye and her groups as South Korea speaks more of these groundless North-led provocations,” it added.

The National Defense Commission also claimed, in the English statement, that it has an inspection unit that “guarantees impartiality and accuracy in making a military, scientific and technological investigation into the case.”

South Korea shot back that the mine explosion was “a clear provocation” by North Korea.

“We’ve issued a stern warning against North Korea for avoiding its responsibilities,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. “We’ve vowed a merciless response to another reckless provocation.”

One South Korean military official called North Korea’s response “cowardly” and that it was not worthy of South Korea’s attention.

On Wednesday, Defense Minister Han Min-koo told lawmakers that he was weighing retaliation options against North Korea, without elaborating further. Two days earlier, the South had resumed a propaganda loudspeaker campaign along the tensely guarded border for the first time in 11 years, a psychological warfare tactic that could spark an angry reaction from North Korea.

North Korea believes that the influx of outside information could pose a threat to its leader Kim Jong-un.

North Korea expressed its discontent against the move through the latest statement, adding South Korea is blaming Pyongyang to justify such actions.