Military demands NK apology over DMZ mine blast as UNC confirms Armistice violation

South Korea’s military on Wednesday demanded an apology from North Korea over a recent mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that seriously injured South Korean soldiers, calling on Pyongyang to halt its ongoing border fortification activities. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said North Korea has continued laying mines and carrying out what it calls the “fortification of its border” near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), saying such activities have heightened tensions along the inter-Korean border. “This is a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement and undermines the spirit of existing inter-Korean agreements, and must be stopped immediately,” the JCS said. It also urged the North to offer an apology and take “responsible measures” over the Sept. 21 blast. The United Nations Command (UNC), which conducted a joint on-site investigation with the South Korean military, said investigators found an active North Korean anti-personnel mine on the South Korean side of the MDL. “Based on the findings of the investigation, UNC determined that an Armistice Agreement v