The recent land mine blast in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and the delayed responses in its aftermath offer a strong reminder that principled action and vigilance should not be compromised. North Korea has recently been suspected of fortifying its military infrastructure along the DMZ, building anti-tank barriers and planting wooden-box land mines near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). On Sept. 21, a group of soldiers from the South Korean Army's 25th Infantry Division was conducting a military survey near the MDL to detect mines and make new patrol routes for future detection work. Twin mines exploded during the operation, wounding three, with one suffering a severe ankle injury. In the aftermath, the military and government failed to meet expectations that they would immediately look into what happened. Instead, the investigation began on Sunday, six days after the incident. The response was lacking, both in action and spirit. On Monday, after the Chuseok holiday, the military said that it was "highly likely" that the explosion in the South-controlled part of the DMZ was caused by