Seoul's foreign minister explains DMZ mine blast at G20

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun underscored the importance of communication with North Korea at a Group of 20 meeting in the United States, explaining Seoul's position on a recent land mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone that injured three South Korean troops, according to the Foreign Ministry on Sunday.

Cho made the remarks during the first session of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Atlanta on Friday and Saturday, which focused on geopolitical tensions and their impact on the global economy.

The ministry said Cho raised concerns over deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia and explained South Korea's position on the Sept. 21 mine explosion in the DMZ.

He stressed that dialogue and communication between the two Koreas are "more important than ever" to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula, while asking G20 members to support Seoul's efforts toward peaceful coexistence and tension reduction.

The explosion occurred in the western section of the DMZ, where two land mines detonated about 10 meters south of the Military Demarcation Line, injuring three South Korean service members.

Following a joint investigation with the United Nations Command, South Korea's military concluded on Oct. 5 that North Korea had deliberately planted the antipersonnel mines south of the MDL as part of its border fortification work.

Cho's remarks came as the Lee Jae Myung administration has sought to keep channels for dialogue with Pyongyang open despite continued military tensions along the inter-Korean border and North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile programs.

On the sidelines of the G20 gathering, Cho also met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi for trilateral talks Thursday, where the three reaffirmed their commitment to North Korea's denuclearization.

According to Seoul's Foreign Ministry, the three agreed to maintain a robust deterrence posture while continuing efforts to achieve peace, stability and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and diplomacy.

The US State Department said the ministers reaffirmed their "steadfast commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea" and the full implementation of UN Security Council resolutions.

Seoul, for its part, highlighted its intention to act as a "pacesetter" for the resumption of US-North Korea dialogue and the establishment of a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula through close coordination with Washington.

At the G20 meeting, Cho also called for international cooperation to guarantee freedom and safety of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, amid geopolitical tensions affecting global trade and energy flows.

He noted that South Korea had recently joined the European Union-led Pledge to Uphold International Maritime Law, which opposes unlawful restrictions on passage through international straits, and said Seoul would continue making practical contributions to ensuring safe and free navigation through Hormuz.

During the second session on energy, Cho said securing "stable and affordable energy" had become increasingly important amid instability in the Middle East and rapidly growing demand driven by artificial intelligence.

He said South Korea could serve as an energy hub linking producing and consuming countries by drawing on its refining capacity, storage infrastructure and maritime network, while seeking stronger regional cooperation through organizations including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and International Energy Agency.

In the third session on supply chains, Cho emphasized the need to diversify supply chains beyond energy stockpiling to reduce dependence on particular regions or resources.

He highlighted South Korea's participation in the Forum on Resource Geostrategic Engagement, a multilateral critical minerals initiative launched in February as the successor to the Minerals Security Partnership.

Cho also called for agreements reached at the G20 Energy Ministers' Meeting in September on critical mineral standards, research and information-sharing to develop into broader practical cooperation among G20 members.