Decades-Long Restrictions Lifted: Land 150 Times the Size of Yeouido to Be Released

[Anchor]

Land spanning an area 150 times the size of Yeouido, which had been restricted from development for decades due to military purposes, is set to be released from these constraints. The Civilian Control Line (CCL) will also be adjusted, moving from an average of 8 kilometers south of the Military Demarcation Line to within 6 kilometers.

Defense correspondent Kim Taehun reports.

[Reporter]

Bulam-dong village in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.

To the west, just over the mountain, lies Seoul's Nowon District, and the neighboring town has been developed into the Byeollae New Town. However, Bulam-dong remains designated as a "restricted protection zone" for military reasons.

Even when building houses, residents cannot exceed a height of 10 meters, leaving the village filled with aging homes.

[Park Heung-yeol/Resident of Bulam-dong, Namyangju: They designated this as a restricted protection zone because it serves as the final defensive line against approach routes from the North while protecting the capital.]

The Ministry of National Defense has decided to significantly lift these restricted protection zone designations in areas like Bulam-dong.

The plan is to limit protection zones only to areas where they are militarily essential and to lift restrictions on all others to allow for development.

[Ahn Gyu-baek/Minister of National Defense: As a result, we expect to lift restricted protection zones covering an area approximately 150 times the size of Yeouido (in Seoul)….]

The Civilian Control Line (CCL), which encompasses areas up to an average of 8 km south of the Military Demarcation Line, will also be reduced to an average of 6 km.

With this change, an area 90 times the size of Yeouido—where access was previously difficult, let alone development—will be converted into a "restricted protection zone" where access is free and development restrictions are eased.

The total area to benefit from the CCL adjustment and the lifting of restricted protection zones is 240 times the size of Yeouido. Specific areas for adjustment and release will be finalized sequentially starting at the end of this year to prevent real estate speculation.

[Ahn Gyu-baek/Minister of National Defense: Starting in the second half of this year, we will proceed sequentially, beginning with areas where preparations are complete following operational feasibility reviews and topographic surveys by each unit….]

Military obstacles such as anti-tank barriers in Yanggu, Gangwon Province, and Paju, Gyeonggi Province, will also be removed starting next year, beginning with 23 locations where military necessity has diminished.

Furthermore, the Ministry of National Defense plans to minimize civilian inconvenience caused by the military by significantly simplifying flight approval and authorization procedures for agricultural drones and revamping CCL access management to be handled via the internet and mobile apps.

Reported by Kim Taehun | Video by Kim Hyun-sang | Video Editing by Jung Sung-hun
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.