South Korea Recovers North Korean Landmines in DMZ Floods

The Korean Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), a 250‑kilometre‑long and roughly four‑kilometre‑wide strip of land that separates North and South Korea, was created by the 1953 armistice that ended hostilities of the Korean War. Since its establishment, the area has been heavily fortified, and it now contains an estimated two million landmines, making it one of the most heavily mined regions on the planet.

The extensive minefields were laid by both sides during the conflict and have remained largely untouched, limiting civilian movement and agricultural use within the buffer zone. Over the years, occasional incidents have been reported, including accidental detonations that have caused injuries among military personnel and local workers engaged in maintenance or monitoring tasks. International organisations, including the United Nations Command, have periodically facilitated joint de‑mining talks, but progress has been slow due to security concerns and the political stalemate on the peninsula.

Despite occasional diplomatic overtures, the DMZ continues to pose a significant safety hazard, and the presence of millions of unexploded devices sustains its reputation as a highly dangerous area. Ongoing monitoring and limited de‑mining efforts remain the primary mechanisms for managing the risk while the broader political situation between the two Koreas stays unresolved.