National Defense Committee, dispute over delay in DMZ landmine accident investigation
Controversy over delay in the DMZ landmine explosion investigation, with both ruling and opposition parties sparring over the issue and on-site inspection The facts and the level of response are drawing attention amid the JCS briefing and the National Defense Committee's inquiry on current issues
The National Assembly’s National Defense Committee sparred over the controversy surrounding delays in the investigation into the landmine explosion accident in the DMZ on the western front. Ruling party lawmakers visited the site of the Army’s 25th Division in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, on the 28th and received a briefing on the investigation status, while People Power Party lawmakers skipped the site visit, saying the government had delayed the investigation.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff explained that on the 22nd, the day after the accident, it first requested the National Forensic Service to examine bloodstained gauze and other evidence. It said that a fullscale onsite investigation began only after a site safety assessment and the reorganization of the investigation team.
Defense Minister Kang Shinchul told the leadership of both ruling and opposition parties that if the cause of the accident is confirmed to be a landmine laid by North Korea, a corresponding response will be necessary. The National Defense Committee plans to continue questioning on the incident at a full committee meeting on the 29th.