Korea, Democratic People's Republic of

Mine Action

Last updated: 21 November 2017

Contaminated by: antipersonnel mines (extent unknown).

Contamination

The precise extent of the mine problem in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) is not known. North Korea admitted in 1998 that it had laid mines in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the north and south of the peninsula. The affected areas are reported to be marked and fenced.[1] In early 2006, officials commented to the Mine Ban Treaty Implementation Support Unit (ISU) that North Korea had not laid mines elsewhere in the country,[2] despite fears that, among others, sections of the east coast were also mined.

In 2016, as in the previous year, there were reports of new use of mines by North Korea in areas both on its side of the DMZ, and in those patrolled by South Korea. (See the Mine Ban country profile for further details.)

Program Management

North Korea has no functioning mine action program.

Land Release

No release of mined area is believed to have taken place in 2016, as in earlier years. The



The Monitor acknowledges the contributions of the Mine Action Review (www.mineactionreview.org), which has conducted the mine action research in 2017, including on survey and clearance, and shared all its resulting landmine and cluster munition reports with the Monitor. The Monitor is responsible for the findings presented online and in its print publications.



[1] Statement of North Korea, UN General Assembly, New York, UN doc. A/53/pv79, 4 December 1998, pp. 8–9.

[2] Email from Kerry Brinkert, Director, ISU, 1 February 2006.