More than four years of war with Russia have left Ukraine with more landmines than any other country in the world. Human Rights Watch estimates that mines are buried in 11 of Ukraine's 27 regions. In terms of area, roughly 170,000 square kilometers — about 30% of Ukraine's territory — is considered mine-contaminated. That is about 1.7 times the size of South Korea.
The buried ordnance ranges widely, from powerful anti-tank mines capable of destroying a tank or a large bus to anti-personnel mines that kill or maim people who step on them, along with booby traps modified by Russian forces and unexploded shells. Lacking demining equipment or specialized protective gear, Ukrainian troops are reported to be clearing mines with long poles, ropes and hooks, and fiberglass rods.
The Korean Peninsula, under armistice for more than 70 years, is another country riddled with mines. An estimated two million mines are buried in the Demilitarized Zone alone, with roughly 3,000 more in rear areas. Between 3,000 and 4,000 soldiers and civilians have been killed or wounded by mines since the armistice. That toll has made mine clearance an urgent matter, one that threatens lives and restricts use of the country's land.
APOPO, an international nonprofit demining organization, estimates that suspected mine-contaminated areas across the peninsula cover about 124.37 million square meters. By some projections, clearing all of it would take about 469 years and cost roughly 1 trillion won. The Korea Institute for Landmine Removal, drawing on various military records, estimates 1.27 million mines are buried on the southern side and 800,000 on the northern side.
The South Korean military estimates that about two million mines lie in areas on both sides near the DMZ but does not release maps or other records of their locations. Confirmed minefields identified by the military cover 31.576 million square meters. The Korea Institute for Landmine Removal puts unconfirmed minefields at 577.405 million square meters. Excluding the areas the military has identified, unconfirmed zones account for 94.8% of all minefields.
Inside the DMZ, confirmed zones make up only 2.7%, meaning virtually the entire area is unmapped. North of the Civilian Control Line, 15.4% is confirmed, leaving 84.6% where it is unknown whether mines are buried. The problem is that the mines still there remain live and lethal. Anti-tank mine explosions continue to occur in northern Gyeonggi Province.
More Than 200 Sites Covering 85 Square Kilometers Still Rated Hazardous
Much of the ordnance left scattered across the country after the 1950-53 Korean War has been removed during decades of land development. But according to the First Basic Plan for Landmine Response Activities (2027-2031), released by the Ministry of National Defense in August, the DMZ and the area around the Civilian Control Line, rear air defense positions and the northwestern islands remain contaminated and high-risk. More than 100 mine accidents have occurred nationwide since 2000 alone.
Even after large-scale clearance operations, the hazardous area remains substantial. As of 2025, minefields that no longer serve any military purpose and require clearance number more than 200 sites nationwide, covering about 85 square kilometers. They include areas north of the Civilian Control Line but outside the DMZ, unconfirmed minefields south of the line, and rear air defense positions. Unconfirmed minefields have no emplacement records; they are identified on the basis of past accidents and residents' accounts.
The greatest concern is mines washed out of place. Heavy rainfall can carry mines beyond their original sites along streams and valleys. In border areas of Gangwon State — Cheorwon, Hwacheon, Yanggu, Inje and Goseong — which stretch in a long east-west band, the mine problem affects not only residents' safety but also their exercise of property rights and local development.
With accidents continuing and the risk high, clearance work must continue. A considerable number of mines have already been removed. From 2017 through last year, about 1,900 mines were cleared from 13 washed-out or unconfirmed minefields where mines had been found or accidents had occurred, and about 1,500 more from 31 sites tied to state and public works projects. Since 1998, more than 48,600 mines have been removed from 37 rear air defense positions.
The Defense Ministry recently announced a plan for safely detecting and clearing mines: the First Basic Plan for Landmine Response Activities, covering 2027 to 2031. It targets more than 200 sites totaling about 85 square kilometers, including previously emplaced minefields no longer designated for military use and unconfirmed minefields — areas where the military has no emplacement records but where mines may be found, and where civilian access has been restricted even though clearance would not impede military operations.
The ministry plans to move quickly to introduce a private contracting system allowing qualified companies or organizations to carry out mine detection and clearance on its behalf. The decision reflects changes in the military's personnel structure, including shrinking troop numbers, and rising demand for detection and clearance. The ministry intends to begin with smaller sites in 2027 and gradually expand the scope of contracted work.
