UN confirms NKorea laying landmines near border

SEOUL (AA) – The Seoul-based United Nations Command (UNC) confirmed Tuesday that North Korea’s military has been laying landmines within a truce village along the heavily guarded inter-Korean border.

In a press note, the UNC said, "we are aware of the Korean People's Army activity in the vicinity of the Bridge of No Return in Panmunjom."

While refraining from speculating about the operations, it warned against any activity "that jeopardizes the safety of all personnel in the DMZ [demilitarized zone]".

In August, landmine explosions in the area seriously wounded two South Korean soldiers, prompting Seoul to start propaganda broadcasts critical of Pyongyang along their shared border.

"The presence of any device or munitions on or near the bridge seriously jeopardizes the safety of people on both sides of the Military Demarcation Line," the UNC said Tuesday.

Local news agency Yonhap also quoted an unnamed government source as saying that several landmines reportedly laid by North Korea’s military were spotted last week in what "appears to be designed to prevent its front-line servicemen from defecting".

Sources were also cited as saying that more than 4,000 landmines were buried near the DMZ since April.

Landmines are known to litter the DMZ area, which is lined by thousands of troops on both sides -- a legacy of the still unresolved 1950-53 Korean War.

Although servicemen selected for the frontline are supposed to be among the most devoted to Pyongyang, recent defections suggest that the North may be having trouble maintaining its trademark grip on purportedly loyal citizens placed overseas.

Last week, Seoul confirmed that the second-in-command at Pyongyang's embassy in Britain, Thae Yong-ho, was now being offered protection in South Korea along with his immediate family.

Seoul had earlier hailed the April defection of 13 North Korean restaurant staff based in China as an example of sanctions biting.