42.63 Million Pyong Will Be Discharged from Military Protection Area

42.63 million pyongs of land over the nation including the area of 29.34 million pyong in Kanghwa Island and 35 other places will be discharged from the military protection area. In addition, once 3.72 million pyongs of 34 places such as Pyongchang-dong in Seoul and Gadeok Island in Pusan, are included in the restriction-alleviated areas, the height restriction of the construction will be drastically eased.

The Defense Ministry announced yesterday that the Ministry would discharge or ease the restrictions of 46.35 million pyongs of 70 places over the nation to increase the property rights of the citizens, as long as it does not negatively affect the military operation. The new policy will be applied from next month and the administrative offices will place the map showing the discharged areas for the convenience of the inquirers.

The discharged areas are including 29.34 million pyongs of 2 places in Kanghwa Island that does not affect the coast guard operations, 430,000 pyongs of 5 places in Munsan, Paju, Kyonggi, 9.13 million pyongs of 24 suburban and residential areas in Koyang and Ilsan, Kyonggi, and 3.73 million pyongs of 5 mountain areas such as Mt. Soyo in Dongduchon, Kyonggi.

Consequently, the residents of the discharged places will recover their property rights. They do not have to discuss with the military authorities to re-construct or renovate their houses or construct their business buildings. They are only to receive a permit from the local administrative office from now on.

Higher building construction will be allowed in the 34 alleviated areas (3.72 million pyongs) such as Pyongchang-dong in Seoul, Gadeok Island in Pusan, Hakdam-ri in Kyonggi, Keojin in Kangwon, Kusan-myon in Kyongnam and the consultative organization for all constructions will be unified to the local administrative office.

As the restrictions to 46.35 million pyongs (2.6 percent of the total military protection areas) are discharged or alleviated, 1 billion and 4.16 million pyongs of land out of the total 2 billion 731.61 million pyongs that was designated as the military protection area in 1973, will have been discharged from the restrictions. The rest of the land is still under the protection areas for the military facilities.

The Defense Ministry expressed its plan to continue the discharge and alleviation of the restriction corresponding to the changes of the operational environment.

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