▲ Two mine blast craters (in white circles) are seen at a land mine field inside the Demilitarized Zone after explosions occurred there on Sept. 21, 2026, in this photo released by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sept. 28. The military held a press conference the same day to announce the interim results of a military investigation with the U.N. Command into the explosions that left two South Korean soldiers severely injured and another with minor injuries. North Korean land mines were highly likely the cause of the recent explosion inside the DMZ, the military said, vowing to hold Pyongyang "fully" accountable and take corresponding measures if confirmed. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- The unification ministry said Thursday it will continue to pursue peaceful coexistence with North Korea, despite the recent blast caused by North Korean land mines inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

The ministry unveiled the stance a day after Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, rejected the South Korean military's finding that blamed the North for the blast, arguing that Seoul is "cooking up the groundless results."

"The ministry will steadfastly pursue peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula," the ministry said, while vowing to work with other government agencies to take "necessary measures to prevent the repeat of such tragic incidents."

"Ending decadeslong hostility and confrontation and creating a peace where there is no need to fight each other is the most realistic way to protect the lives and safety of our people," the ministry said.

Minister Chung Dong-young curtailed his European work trip that was due to last until Monday and is set to return home later in the day to handle the aftermath of the blast, which wounded three South Korean soldiers.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Wednesday blamed the North for the blast, calling it a "blatant violation" of the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. The South also demanded an apology from Pyongyang.

An official at the ministry told reporters that the minister had been briefed promptly on the developments and decided to return early at this "important time" to manage inter-Korean relations and respond to the situation.

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