Military Protection Zones Equivalent to 10 Times the Size of Yeouido to Be Lifted or Eased

Goseong and Sokcho in Gangwon Province See the Largest Area of Lifting

Detailed Status of Changed Military Facility Protection Zones. Provided by the Ministry of National Defense.

The Ministry of National Defense will either lift or ease restrictions on military facility protection zones covering an area approximately ten times the size of Yeouido. The largest area to be removed from the restricted protection zone is in the regions of Goseong-gun and Sokcho-si, Gangwon Province. To resolve long-standing restrictions on building heights due to telecommunication facilities in this area, the ministry will lift 6.39 million square meters of restricted protection zones.

On July 21, the Ministry of National Defense announced that it would lift or ease military facility protection zones and flight safety zones totaling about 29.16 million square meters across ten regions nationwide, including Goseong-gun and Sokcho-si in Gangwon Province, Pyeongtaek-si and Goyang-si in Gyeonggi Province, and Yongsan-gu in Seoul.

The military facility protection zones are designated by the Minister of National Defense to protect military bases and facilities, ensure the smooth conduct of military operations, and guarantee the safe takeoff and landing of military aircraft. While control protection zones strictly restrict entry and construction activities, restricted protection zones allow certain types of development activities in consultation with the relevant military unit.

The areas subject to adjustment this time include 8,627,856 square meters in five locations—Goseong-gun, Sokcho-si, Pyeongtaek-si, Goyang-si, and Yongsan-gu—where the restricted protection zone status will be removed, and 17,356 square meters in Siheung-si, Gyeonggi Province, where the control protection zone will be downgraded to a restricted protection zone. In addition, flight safety zones in four regions—Mapo-gu and Eunpyeong-gu in Seoul, Goyang-si in Gyeonggi Province, and Sejong City—totaling 20,514,747 square meters will be lifted. The ministry also plans to change the Susaek Airfield from a supporting air operations base, which is considered less essential for both wartime and peacetime support, to a helicopter-only operations base. As a result, 19,820,000 square meters of the surrounding flight safety zone will be released. The areas involved are 1,564,417 square meters around Sangam-dong in Mapo-gu, Seoul; 646,559 square meters around Susaek-dong in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul; and 17,608,691 square meters around Gangmae-dong, Deogeun-dong, Donae-dong, Hyeoncheon-dong, and Hwajeon-dong in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province.

This measure serves as a follow-up to the military facility regulation improvement initiative the Ministry of National Defense announced on June 17. At that time, the ministry stated that it would gradually lift restricted protection zones over an area roughly 150 times the size of Yeouido, reflecting changes in the security environment. The ministry explained that the adjustments targeted areas requiring regional development and relief for residents, specifically choosing locations where lifting the protection zone would not hinder military operations.

The military facility protection zones to be lifted or eased this time will become effective after being officially announced in the government gazette on July 22. However, the flight safety zone for Susaek Airfield will be separately notified after the relevant enforcement ordinance is amended. Topographical maps and detailed lot numbers of the regions where protection zones have been lifted or eased can be viewed at the relevant local governments and the jurisdictional military units. The status of military facility protection zones applied to individual parcels of land can also be checked via 'TojiEum,' the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's online land information service.

The Ministry of National Defense stated, "We will continue to reasonably adjust military facility protection zones to improve residents' quality of life and promote local development in cooperation with communities, while maintaining a robust defense posture and ensuring no impact on military operations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.