North Korea lays land mines near border to prevent defection by soldiers: sources

North Korea was seen laying anti-personnel mines along its side of the inter-Korean border, presumably to block potential defection by its own soldiers, a government source said was quoted by Yonhap News Agency as saying Tuesday.

"Several North Korea military-laid land mines were seen on the northern side of a bridge in Panmunjom last week," the source said. The small bridge known as the Bridge of No Return is located within the truce village and spans the military demarcation line between the two Koreas.

It was the first time North Korea was seen planting mines in Panmunjom since the inter-Korean armistice agreement in July 1953, although two South Korean soldiers were maimed last August in mine blasts blamed on the North in the eastern part of the inter-Korean border.

Source: MENA