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Pyongyang has denied Seoul's accusation of responsibility for two landmine explosions in the Demilitarized Zone last week, which resulted in the injury of three South Korean soldiers.
Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, stated in a statement carried by the Central News Agency that blaming her country for the explosions in the DMZ between the two Koreas "descends to a low and filthy level befitting the followers of the Republic of Korea".
The explosions on September 21 injured three South Korean soldiers, one of whom had a foot amputated.
The DMZ is one of the most fortified borders in the world, and previous mine incidents there have escalated tensions between the two Koreas.
Seoul and Pyongyang are still technically at war as the Korean War (1950-1953) ended with an armistice agreement rather than a peace treaty.
On Monday, the South Korean Ministry of Defense concluded that mines planted by North Korea were most likely behind last week's incident.
Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said during a parliamentary session on Tuesday, "This is a blatant violation of the armistice agreement. Since North Korea is responsible, we will take necessary measures."
However, Kim Yo-jong considered Seoul to be "fabricating" baseless claims to use as a pretext for political and military provocation against Pyongyang.
Since Kim Jong-un officially abandoned the idea of reunification with the South in late 2023, the North Korean military has planted new mines in the area and built additional fortifications there.
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