North Korean land mines could float into South Korea, South warns

Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean land mines could be swept into South Korea by swelling rivers, South Korea’s military warned Wednesday, as the North places tens of thousands of the deadly explosives along its heavily fortified border. North Korea has laid tens of thousands of new mines since April, the military said, part of an apparent effort to boost its frontline security posture and prevent North Koreans from defecting to South Korea. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff told local reporters that rivers swollen by summer rainfall could wash the mines over the border, adding that North Korea might also deliberately float mines downriver as a provocation.