South Korean officer found dead following DMZ explosion; China purges top military officials

In South Korea, an officer from the Army 25th Division was found dead in his off-base housing in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province. The discovery occurred after colleagues noticed he had failed to report for duty. While no signs of forced entry or criminal activity were immediately identified, the death follows a recent landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) near Paju and Yeoncheon. That explosion, which occurred during a search operation, injured three personnel, including a battalion commander. Authorities have not yet established a direct link between the officer's death and the DMZ incident.

In China, the Chinese Communist Party has officially stripped Zhang Youxia, a former Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Liu Zhenli, former Chief of the Joint Staff Department, of both their party and military memberships. The Politburo stated that the two individuals violated political discipline, formed factions, and were disloyal to the party. The investigation revealed that they accepted large sums of money and gifts in exchange for professional favors, noting that their political and economic transgressions are deeply intertwined. This purge marks a significant continuation of President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign within the military, leaving only two members remaining on the Central Military Commission.