South Korea proposes military talks with North Korea - NHKニュース

South Korean defense officials have proposed military talks with North Korea. Tensions between the two sides have risen following explosions in the Demilitarized Zone.

The blasts occurred in September, injuring three South Korean soldiers. South Korea attributed the incident to North Korean landmines and demanded any others be removed.

The South also demanded an apology, but the North denied involvement.

South Korea's defense ministry said on Friday the talks are being proposed because of an increasing risk of accidental clashes, citing differences in the two sides' understanding of where the military demarcation line is situated.

The South made a similar proposal in November last year, but the North did not respond.

Yonhap News Agency says the South Korean military estimates that the North has planted about 960,000 land mines in the area since 2024.

The North says it is fortifying the border area, including barbed wire fences and walls. Observers in the South suggest land mines were planted as part of that work.