South Korea Urges North to Halt DMZ Fortification After Border Blast

South Korea's newly installed defence minister, Kang Shin-chul, has called on North Korea to stop its fortification activity along the demilitarized zone that divides the two Koreas, speaking to reporters after his swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday.

Kang said he could not exclude the possibility that the North's work in the area is connected to a landmine explosion a day earlier that left two South Korean military personnel injured.

The minister's remarks place fresh attention on the heavily guarded border, where any construction or movement by the North is closely monitored by the South. The DMZ, a buffer strip running across the peninsula, remains one of the world's most militarised frontiers.

Kang did not elaborate on the nature of the fortification work or specify what response Seoul might consider. His comments nonetheless signal that the new defence leadership intends to treat the border activity and Monday's blast as matters requiring scrutiny.

The injury of two service members in the landmine incident has added to concerns in the South about safety along the frontier. No further details on their condition or on the circumstances of the explosion were immediately available.