Guard posts of the two Koreas face each other across the Imjingang River on the South Korean side in Paju, Gyeonggi-do Province. (Yonhap News)

By Kang Gahui

Military restrictions will be greatly eased in border areas through moving the Civilian Control Line (CCL) northward by an average of 2 km and lifting limits in protection zones.

The Ministry of National Defense on June 17 announced this in releasing plans to improve regulations on military facilities. This is part of the Lee administration's core national policy initiative of deregulation of the defense sector for civic-military coexistence.

The CCL was established adjacent to the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) to restrict civilian access for the sake of military operations.

The line, which previously extended an average of 8 km south of the MDL, will be narrowed to an average of 6 km. A controlled protection zone covering some 270 square km is expected to be reclassified as a restricted protection zone, thus greatly easing restrictions on access and land use.

The ministry will adjust the CCL in stages from next year by improving control measures, such as relocating checkpoints and installing perimeter fences and surveillance cameras.

For restricted protection areas with low military need, the criteria for designating such a zone will be reset and regulations covering an area of 450 square km will be gradually lifted.

To raise convenience for residents in border regions, procedures for entry and exit from the CCL will be changed into a mobile-based system. Approval and authorization procedures for agricultural drone flights will also be streamlined.

The ministry said these measures will alleviate resident inconvenience while maintaining a robust security posture, as well as promote the economic development of stagnant border regions.

kgh89@korea.kr