Seoul: The South Korean military on Tuesday cautioned against North Korean land mines in border areas that could be swept into the South during heavy downpours, officials said. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) made the call as North Korea is known to have placed a number of land mines on the northern side of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the planted mines could be washed into the South via the Han River estuary through inter-Korean rivers, including Imjin, Hantan, and Bukhan rivers. The JCS highlighted the potential risk that these land mines, planted around border areas, could become dislodged and flow into South Korean territory during heavy rains.

The JCS has issued a notice urging the public to avoid approaching any unidentified objects and to report any suspected land mines to police or a nearby military unit immediately.