S. Korea's defense ministry lifts military restrictions on 337 mil. square meters of land

The South Korean government is lifting previously-imposed access restrictions to vast areas of the country amid the downturn in tensions between the two Koreas.The zones had been previously designated as "protection zones" fenced off for military purposes.Park Ji-won has details. Seoul's Ministry of National Defense has announced that it's lifting restrictions on nearly 340 million square meters of land in the country.That's equivalent to almost 120 times the size of Yeouido, Seoul's financial district.The zones are mostly located within 25 kilometers of the Military Demarcation Line,... which divides South and North Korea.The areas were previously designated as "protection zones" for military purposes. Some of the areas that had restrictions lifted are not located near the border,... but are zones near major military facilities across the nation.The ministry says the move was carefully thought out beforehand,... and will not affect South Korea's military combat readiness or its defense posture. With the decision,... about eight-point-four percent of the country's administrative land remains designated as restricted or a controlled area for military purposes.Before the ministry's move, the figure was about eight-point-eight percent. The South Korean government approved the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act in 1972,... to facilitate military operations,... and has since revised the scope of areas designated as restricted or controlled. The defense ministry also says it will make access procedures simpler for those who enter regions beyond the Civilian Control Line,... which is ten kilometers from the Military Demarcation Line. Park Ji-won, Arirang News.