Soldiers who were at the scene of a suspected mine explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone on the western front testified that the device "resembled the wooden-box mines used by the North Korean military," officials confirmed. One soldier also testified to spotting an additional mine that had not detonated.
"There was testimony to the effect that the shape resembled a wooden-box mine and the material appeared to be plastic, while another person gave testimony suggesting it was a different type," Hwang Joo-bong, chief of the operations division at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a regular briefing on the 28th.
For now, accounts from soldiers at the scene diverge, making it difficult to determine the specific type of the exploded device. Whether debris from the device or unexploded mines can be recovered at the site of the accident is therefore expected to be the key variable in establishing the cause.
Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul, meeting with reporters at the National Assembly the same day, said, "Because a field investigation is under way now, we will explain the matter transparently to the public as soon as it is sorted out, as quickly as possible."
The military has also asked the National Forensic Service to analyze the composition of gear worn by those injured at the time of the accident, gauze used to collect gunpowder residue and fragments removed during surgery. Initial findings are expected to be released in the next day or two.
