Yonhap: North Korea is planting mines and installing barbed wire inside the buffer zone with its southern neighbor

A South Korean military source revealed that North Korea is installing mines and strengthening barbed wire in multiple locations within the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas "at a rate higher than usual."

The source said, "The army recently monitored the North's deployment of hundreds of individuals to plant mines and carry out other reinforcements inside the buffer zone between the two Koreas on the eastern and central fronts."

The source added: "The North Korean army is carrying out various activities in 4 to 5 locations within the demilitarized zone, such as installing mines and reinforcing barbed wire. About 100 to 200 individuals have been mobilized depending on the region, with a focus on the eastern and central fronts."

Such North Korean military activities are not considered unusual, but the South's military is closely monitoring the situation, as the North has mobilized a larger number of soldiers this year than before, according to Yonhap.

The source pointed out that "the North also brought heavy equipment into the demilitarized zone, a step that may represent a violation of the armistice that ended fighting in the Korean War (1950-1953).

For his part, an official in the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, “The army is closely monitoring the North Korean army,” stressing that it is “working closely with the United Nations Command, which supervises activities in the demilitarized zone.”

The official declined to comment further, citing "potential risks to the safety of the forces."