Military Robot Deployed to DMZ Mine Explosion Site Reveals Its Limitations

It was confirmed that the military tested a multilegged walking robot and an explosive ordnance detection and disposal robot during last month’s investigation at the site of the landmine explosion in North Korea’s DMZ, but was unable to make proper use of them because of terrain conditions such as thick brush and steep slopes. During the preliminary investigation on the 26th of last month, the military deployed a multilegged walking robot introduced for counterterrorism operations in urban areas, but it was effectively unable to support the operation due to battery life and terrain adaptability issues. In the actual onsite investigation conducted from the 27th to the 29th, no unmanned assets were used. The KR1 explosive ordnance detection and disposal robot owned by the 25th Division was also developed for clearing paths in the DMZ, but it was reportedly difficult to deploy on site because of brush taller than a person. Within and outside the military, there are calls for separate development of equipment suited to rough terrain such as the DMZ.