Seoul: A bill permitting the South Korean government to control non-military access to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas has faced opposition from government ministries and the United Nations Command (UNC).

According to Yonhap News Agency, earlier this year, ruling party lawmakers proposed legislation to grant the government authority to regulate non-military access to the DMZ. This move aims to promote the peaceful use of the military buffer zone between the two Koreas. Currently, the U.S.-led UNC, which supervises the southern side of the DMZ, holds the authority to approve or deny access.

The unification ministry supports the legislation, citing "territorial sovereignty" as a key reason. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young emphasized the necessity of the DMZ access bill, noting that a senior presidential security official and Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik were recently denied access to the DMZ. However, the unification ministry's stance has met objections from the foreign and defense ministries and reportedly from the UNC.

The defense ministry, in an opinion submitted to the parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, expressed concerns that allowing access to the DMZ without prior consultation with the UNC could lead to "unnecessary confusion" in maintaining the armistice of the 1950-53 Korean War. The foreign ministry also underscores the importance of coordinating closely with the UNC regarding this issue.