Contamination and Impact

The Korean War left mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) in southern Korea, and because of a security threat, the Republic of Korea (South Korea) laid barrier minefields along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating it from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the north.

Mines

The DMZ and the Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) immediately adjoining the southern boundary of the DMZ remain among the most heavily mined areas in the world due to extensive mine-laying during the Korean War and in the 1960s, in 1978, and in 1988. In May 2006, South Korea indicated that about 970,000 mines were emplaced in the southern part of the DMZ, about 30,000 mines in the CCZ, and about 8,000 mines in 25 military sites that cover an area of about 3km² in the northern parts of Gyeonggi-do and Gangwon provinces, below the CCZ.[1]

A report by the National Defense Committee in 2010 said South Korea had about 1,100 “planned” mined areas covering 20km² and some 209 unconfirmed or suspected mined areas covering 97.82km². This latter figure was repeated in a draft bill on demining, which was submitted to Parliament in January 2010 (see below).[2]

South Korea also contends with mines displaced from military bases by rain and mudslides and from across the border in North Korea. Authorities reported around 10 mines missing from an air defense position at Seoul’s Mount Umyeon after mudslides in July 2011. Landmines and other explosives were also swept away from an ammunition depot north of Seoul, although the landmines were later reported to have been recovered.[3]

In July 2010, wooden box mines were found on South Korea’s Kanghwa Island, in the estuary of the Han river, and in the Samichon river area in Yonchon-gun, Gyeonggi province, apparently washed down from North Korea by heavy rains. A box mine caused the death of one man and injuries to another in the border town of Yeoncheon, northeast of Seoul. Parts of North Korean wooden box mines were also found on the banks of a river in Cheolwon on the South Korean side of the DMZ.[4]

Explosive remnants of war

Many parts of South Korea are also contaminated by ERW, particularly unexploded ordnance from the Korean War, although the precise extent is not known.

Mine Action Program

There is no national mine action authority or mine action center. Demining is conducted by the South Korean army, which has undertaken limited clearance of the DMZ and CCW and has concentrated mostly on demining military bases in rear areas.[5] In January 2010, the government submitted a draft bill on mine clearance to the national assembly that would allow private companies to engage in demining. The draft law stipulated clearance tasks must be requested by the government, local government, a public institution, or a landowner, while clearance must be authorized by the secretary of defense and conducted under the supervision of the army commander in charge of the area.[6] The bill was still pending before the Defense Committee of the National Assembly in March 2012.[7] In 2009, the government stated that clearance which had been planned to finish in 2009 would continue until 2015.[8]

Land Release

South Korea said it spent US$1.8 million on demining in 2011 but reported clearing less than half the amount of land and landmines cleared the previous year. It said more than 32,300 soldiers participated in mine clearance operations.[9] It also reported demining was under way on eight sites located between the CCZ and Seoul and that it expected to clear a similar amount of land in 2012 as in 2011.[10]

Troops were deployed in July 2011 to locate mines missing from an air defense position at Seoul’s Mount Umyeon after heavy rain and mudslides. Troops near the frontline with North Korea in Gyeonggi Province also reported finding 16 box mines apparently washed down from North Korea in August 2012.[11]

Mine clearance in South Korea, 2006–2011[12]

Risk Education

The government reported in 2009 that “the military holds meetings with local people to provide specific information on landmines.”[13] It said it provides two types of mine/ERW risk education (RE): one for the armed forces and the other for civilians, mainly as community liaison prior to clearance.[14] South Korean NGOs have disputed the government’s description of RE activities, which are believed to be limited to the placement of mine warning signs in the CCZ and displaying models of mines at the entrance gates to the CCZ.[15]