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| President Park Geun-hye waves to soldiers, who voluntarily postponed their discharge from mandatory military service while tensions were high between the two Koreas, after observing South Korea and the United States' large-scale joint live-fire exercise at the Seungjin Army Training Center in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. Military tensions were heightened following North Korea's Aug. 4 landmine explosions inside the Demilitarized Zone, which maimed two South Korean soldiers, but eased after the two Koreas reached an accord Tuesday. / Yonhap |
By Jun Ji-hye
The Army is considering recommending eight soldiers who were at the scene of North Korea's Aug. 4 mine explosion inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) for the Order of Military Merit, according to sources Friday.
An official said the Army is deliberating on whether to recommend the soldiers to the Ministry of National Defense for the awards.
"The search team showed an indomitable spirit and comradeship in a difficult situation by responding to the explosions in accordance with procedures and promptly rescuing their wounded comrades," the official told reporters on the condition of anonymity.
The soldiers belong to the 1st Infantry Division.
There has been no precedent for border guards injured during a search mission in the DMZ to receive the Order of Military Merit. Some of them were awarded the Order of National Security Merit.
Ministry officials noted that the eight soldiers are qualified to be recommended for the Order of Military Merit after the Awards and Decorations Act was revised in 2010 in the wake of Pyongyang's torpedo attack on the Navy warship Cheonan that killed 46 sailors.
The revision stipulates that an Order of Military Merit is awarded to soldiers who showed distinguished military service by performing in battle or in a contingency commensurate with war, or responding to an enemy attack.
Before the revision, those who performed distinguished service in the DMZ or near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) could only be awarded the Order of National Security Merit, which is given to those who performed distinguished service during peace time.
Three North Korean-made wooden box antipersonnel landmines exploded on the morning of Aug. 4 in the South-controlled area of the DMZ while the soldiers were conducting a regular patrol.
Staff Sergeant Ha Jae-hun, 21, lost both his legs from below the knee, while Staff Sergeant Kim Jung-won, 23, who was trying to help Ha get out of the site, had his right foot amputated from the ankle.
Sergeant First Class Jung Gyo-sung, 27, who led the search team, was recognized for demonstrating unflappable leadership during the crisis.
Military tension escalated following the mine explosion and the South's later resumption of loudspeaker broadcasting in retaliation.
The repressive state declared a semi-state of war on Aug. 20. But the two Koreas reconciled dramatically on Tuesday morning after four days of marathon talks.
Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye
