North Korea started to plant new land mines that look like tree leaves in the demilitarized zone(DMZ), and residents and visitors in the inter-Korean border areas are advised to not touch suspicious items swept downwards from the North amid the heavy rain.  

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) on Wednesday, the North's so-called "leaf land mines" were found in the South after last week's heavy monsoon rains.

While cautioning those visiting streams near the border that more such land mines could be found in the South amid the current rainfall, the military explained that the North could suddenly open without prior notice to the South, the floodgates of Hwanggang Dam and others, to control the water levels and the land mines could be swept to the South.

The JCS said that North Korea has planted tens of thousands of land mines, including the new types, in the demilitarized zone since April.