North Korea has planted an estimated 960,000 landmines along its border with South Korea over the past two years, according to data released by Seoul following explosions that injured multiple soldiers.

The laying of the mines is seen as part of an effort by North Korea to fortify the border after Kim Jong Un abandoned Pyongyang ’s longstanding goal of reunification with South Korea and adopted the “two hostile states” policy.

The South Korean military submitted the data to the National Assembly, and lawmakers serving on the parliamentary intelligence and defence committees disclosed it to the state news agency Yonhap.

The military said the landmines have been installed since 2024 along the Demilitarised Zone, the heavily guarded buffer area separating the two countries.…