Politics · South Korea · 6 hrs ago
Soldiers Opening Search Routes in Korea’s DMZ Minefields Earn About 3,000 Won a Day
Soldiers opening search routes in minefields inside Korea’s DMZ earn about 3,000 won a day.
The routes are being made through areas where the presence of mines has not been confirmed.
They receive no hazard allowance for this dangerous work.
The DMZ has an estimated two million mines laid since the Korean War.
North Korea is also believed to have planted hundreds of mines south of the Military Demarcation Line since 2024.
The scale of the danger has prompted calls for fairer compensation for soldiers assigned to these operations.
Soldiers assigned to open search routes through unconfirmed minefields in the Demilitarized Zone are paid about 3,000 won a day, according to the report.
The article says they receive no separate risk allowance for the dangerous work.
It says about 2 million mines have been laid in the DMZ since the Korean War.
North Korea is estimated to have planted hundreds of mines south of the Military Demarcation Line since 2024.
The report says there are calls for proper compensation for soldiers sent on high-risk operations.
- Who
- Soldiers assigned to open search routes through minefields in the DMZ.
- What
- They receive about 3,000 won a day, with no separate risk allowance.
- When
- Not stated.
- Where
- The Demilitarized Zone on the Korean Peninsula.
- Why
- They are opening routes for searches in areas with unconfirmed mines.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
North Korea began planting mines south of the Military Demarcation Line, according to the report.
Chosun Ilbo reported that soldiers opening search routes in DMZ minefields earn about 3,000 won a day.
- Daily pay
- About 3,000 won
- Risk allowance
- 0 won
- DMZ mine estimate
- About 2 million mines
- North Korean mine estimate
- Hundreds planted south of the Military Demarcation Line since 2024
- Report date
- 2026-10-18