Lawmaker hails removal of flight safety zone restrictions near Jochiwon airbase

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kang Jun-hyeon, who represents Sejong Special Self-Governing City's second constituency, said Wednesday that the removal of 695,000 square meters of flight safety zone restrictions around the Jochiwon Army airbase had been confirmed, calling it "a meaningful achievement that fulfills the long-cherished wish of residents in Jochiwon-eup, Yeongi-myeon and Yeonseo-myeon in Sejong."

The Ministry of National Defense announced Tuesday through a press release that, in connection with the project to consolidate and relocate the Jochiwon and Yeongi airbases, 695,000 square meters of flight safety zone restrictions covering the existing runway at Jochiwon airbase would be lifted effective Wednesday.

With this latest removal, the flight safety zone at Jochiwon airbase has been reduced from 16.2 square kilometers to 1.8 square kilometers — roughly 90 percent of the total area — nearly a decade after a request for consultations on relocating military facilities was submitted in 2016. The project to consolidate and relocate the Jochiwon and Yeongi airbases is a long-standing regional initiative proposed and championed by the Democratic Party.

Kang is credited with working closely with the Ministry of National Defense and relevant agencies to consistently convey and advocate for Sejong's position, ensuring the project moved forward without interruption.

The announcement is expected to ease land-use regulations that had restricted property rights — including building height limits — in the densely residential area of Wolha 3-ri in Yeonseo-myeon.

"The removal of the flight safety zone has cleared away regulations that had been holding back the region's development," Kang said, adding that he would "responsibly see through the seamless completion of the Jochiwon-Yeongi airbase consolidation and relocation project and push for the removal of remaining regulations." The lifting of the flight safety zone restrictions takes effect Wednesday following official gazette publication.