Multiple North Korean soldiers have either been killed or injured from land mine explosions and hypothermia while working along the northern part of the Demilitarized Zone(DMZ) in recent months.

According to South Korea's defense ministry on Wednesday, the North Korean military has continued its mine operation, wasteland creation and barrier installation in the frontlines for many months, despite the heat wave and monsoon rain.

The ministry said North Korean troops work an average 12 to 13 hours a day without days off or a rotation, while staying at makeshift tents and other inadequate facilities. It added that female soldiers were also confirmed to have been mobilized.

The ministry said it's preparing for the possibility of accidental defection or trespassing of the Military Demarcation Line(MDL) by North Korean soldiers during the ongoing operation.

Seoul estimates that Pyongyang has completed around ten percent of wasteland work and one percent of barrier installation spanning 250 kilometers along the DMZ, while laying tens of thousands of land mines.