1 dead, 3 hurt or missing after explosion at SKorean base

Seoul: South Korea says one soldier died and another is missing after what apparently was an accidental explosion during repair work on a submarine at a naval base in the southeast of the country.

An official at Seoul’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday that authorities were investigating the cause of the blast that also left two others injured at the base in Jinhae, but said the possibility of an attack was very low. He spoke on condition of anonymity, citing office rules.

South Korea has blamed a North Korean torpedo for a warship sinking that killed 46 South Korean sailors in 2010, but Pyongyang has denied attacking the ship.

PTI