Seoul: The defense ministry on Monday announced its decision to lift or ease restrictions in military protection zones, covering an area equivalent to ten times the size of Yeouido in western Seoul. This initiative aims to alleviate public inconveniences and promote balanced regional development.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the plan involves completely lifting restrictions in five regions: Goseong County and Sokcho city in Gangwon Province, Pyeongtaek and Goyang cities in Gyeonggi Province, and Seoul's Yongsan Ward. Military protection zones, designated by the defense chief, are areas reserved for military bases and operations. The removal of these restrictions will allow residents to construct or expand structures without prior military consultations.

Specifically, the ministry plans to lift the designation of a military protection zone on a total of 6.39 million square meters of land in Goseong and Sokcho, in addition to a 137,000-square-meter area in Yongsan. In Pyeongtaek, a zone affecting 1.33 million square meters of land will also be lifted. This decision follows the relocation of a U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) ammunition storage facility to facilitate a new international town project.

Furthermore, the plan includes easing development restrictions on 17,000 square meters of land in Siheung, located about 30 kilometers southwest of Seoul. The area will be redesignated from a restricted zone to a limited protection zone, enabling more development opportunities.

This initiative is part of the ministry's continuous efforts to relax development restrictions in military protection zones, thus facilitating greater civilian access and addressing residents' grievances. Last month, the ministry revealed plans to adjust the boundaries of the military-controlled buffer zone along the inter-Korean border by moving the lines farther north, alongside a gradual easing and lifting of military protection zones.