KB News Desk
The Ministry of National Defense announced Tuesday that it will change the restrictions on military zones covering 29 square kilometers of land nationwide.
The ministry said that the measures, which take effect on Wednesday, will ease or cancel restrictions on military protection zones with limited development.
The change will affect 8.63 square kilometers of land in restricted protection zones, 0.02 square kilometers of land in controlled protection zones and 20.52 square kilometers of land in flight safety zones. The initiative aims to enhance civilians’ property rights and support regional development.
The zones protect military bases and are critical to national security. The adjustments will be made to areas that will not be affected by relaxed restrictions, according to the defense ministry.
Restrictions will be lifted on zones in Goseong and Sokcho in Gangwon Province, Pyeongtaek and Goyang in Gyeonggi Province, and Yongsan in Seoul. These areas were subject to development restrictions because of the presence of military communications facilities, ammunition depots and height restrictions.
Controlled protection zones in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province will be downgraded to restricted protection zones, as the authorities determined that local residents are already settled and the area has little impact on military operations.
Mapo and Eunpyeong in Seoul will no longer be designated as flight safety zones. Goyang’s Susaek airfield will be shifted from an air support operations base to a helicopter-only operations base. Sejong’s Jochiwon airfield will also lose its flight safety zone designation, following a planned consolidation and relocation project involving Jochiwon and Yeongi airfields.
