Three South Korean military officers have been wounded in an explosion in the western sector of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea.
The blast occurred on Monday, with the Ministry of Defence saying its cause had not been established. Local media reports suggested it may have been caused by a landmine.
Two of the officers were evacuated from the scene by helicopter, while the third was taken by land before being airlifted, the ministry said. All three are being treated at a military hospital near Seoul.
Explosions involving mines and other devices are a recurring danger in and around the DMZ. Legacy weapons and suspected stray mines have periodically injured military personnel on both sides.
The 248-kilometre (154-mile) zone is 4km (2.5 miles) wide and heavily fortified with minefields, barbed-wire fences, tank traps and combat troops. It was established after the Korean War, which ended in an armistice in 1953 but not a peace treaty.
Concerns have grown in South Korea over increased activity by North Korean soldiers near the military demarcation line, as Pyongyang strengthens its border defences amid prolonged tensions.
