South Korea's Ministry of National Defense announced plans on Wednesday to ease restrictions on civilian access to areas near the border with North Korea as part of a broader reform of military facility regulations.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said the Civilian Control Line (CCL), located south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) that runs through the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), will be gradually adjusted from 2027 to an average distance of 6 kilometers from the MDL. The CCL is currently situated about 10 kilometers south of the border line separating the two Koreas.

According to the ministry's plan, around 270 square kilometers of "controlled protection zones" will be reclassified as less restrictive "limited protection zones," while restrictions on approximately 450 square kilometers of existing limited protection zones will be lifted altogether. Some military barriers that no longer serve operational purposes will also be removed.

The ministry said it would simplify approval procedures for agricultural drone operations in border areas and introduce a mobile application-based access control system for the CCL beginning in 2027.

Ahn said the measures are intended to improve living conditions and support regional development in border communities while maintaining military operational requirements and adapting to the evolving security environment.

The move comes as South Korea seeks to balance security concerns along the heavily fortified border with efforts to promote economic activity and improve the quality of life in frontier regions.

The DMZ, which divides the Korean Peninsula, is one of the world's most heavily fortified borders and has served as a buffer zone between North and South Korea since the end of active fighting in the Korean War.

The two Koreas remain technically at war because the 1950–53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty, leaving tensions on the peninsula a continuing security concern. (ILKHA)