South Korean army sergeant dies at frontline unit with external injuries

East Asia The death comes amid heightened tensions along the border after three South Korean soldiers were wounded in landmine explosions south of the Military Demarcation Line in September. South Korean soldiers patrol along a military fence on the south side of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) dividing the two Koreas, as seen from a South Korean observatory in the border city of Paju on Oct 20, 2026. (Photo: AFP/Jung Yeon-je) SEOUL: A South Korean army staff sergeant died after suffering external injuries at a frontline unit in Cheorwon near the North Korean border on Monday (Nov 1) morning, Seoul's Defence Ministry said.Military and civilian investigators were examining the exact cause and circumstances of his death, the ministry said.The death comes amid heightened tensions along the border after three South Korean soldiers were wounded in landmine explosions south of the Military Demarcation Line on Sep 21.It was not immediately clear whether the staff sergeant’s death on Monday was related to the border tensions.South Korea's military has said the mines that caused the explosions in September were laid by North Korea as part of its efforts to fortify the border since 2024, an accusation Pyongyang has denied. Also worth reading