The Ministry of National Defense said on the 14th it will lift 630,000 square meters (190,575 pyeong) of military facility protection zones in border areas. The ministry said the move is aimed at improving public convenience.
According to the Ministry of National Defense, the areas to be lifted are Chat'an-ri, Yeoncheon-eup, Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province (7,497 square meters); Guntan-ri, Galmal-eup, Cheorwon County, Gangwon Province (251,106 square meters); and Odeok-ri and Ipyeong-ri in Dongsong-eup, and Hwaji-ri in Cheorwon-eup, Cheorwon County (371,023 square meters). That is 4.5 times the size of Yeouido. A ministry official said it is a measure that reflects changes in conditions, such as advances in weapons systems and a decline in the pool of conscripts, as well as the national policy line of balanced regional development.
A military facility protection zone is an area designated by the Minister of the Ministry of National Defense under the Military Bases and Military Facilities Protection Act to protect military bases and facilities and to ensure smooth execution of military operations. Development and other activities are restricted. The ministry plans to shift the system under the vision of realizing a military facility protection zone that harmonizes security and the rights and interests of the public.
The Chat'an-ri area in Yeoncheon County lifted this time is the seat of the Yeoncheon County Office and is already a settlement area where a village of clustered houses has formed. The Odeok-ri, Ipyeong-ri, and Hwaji-ri areas in Cheorwon County, Gangwon Province, are also areas where regional transportation hubs, such as an intercity bus terminal, and settlement complexes have formed. The Guntan-ri area in Cheorwon County is home to tourist complexes such as Goseokjeong and Deureuni Columnar Joint Road.
Separately from lifting the military facility protection zones, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) decided on Dec. 19 last year to delegate to local governments the coordination work with the relevant military units that had been required for construction or development in 1,244 square meters of protected areas in border regions. Accordingly, if a building is constructed below the height set by the military authorities, consultation with the relevant unit is not required.
The military authorities are reviewing adjustments to move the civilian control line northward by region, using the "5 km from the Military Demarcation Line" mentioned by Minister Ahn Gyu-baek of the Ministry of National Defense as a guideline.
An official at the Ministry of National Defense said, "On the western front, there are many places where the civilian control line is already within 5 km, and on the eastern front, there may be places where it is difficult to move it northward within 5 km," adding, "It is necessary to review whether to move the civilian control line northward by region through an assessment of operational feasibility."