Unification Minister Chung Dong-young salutes the national flag during a special forum marking six months of the new administration’s North Korea policy, hosted by the Korea Peace Forum on December 3 at the Korea Press Center in Seoul. From left: Moon Chung-in, professor emeritus at Yonsei University; former Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun; former Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung; Lim Dong-won, honorary chairman of the Korea Peace Forum; and Minister Chung. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s unification minister publicly criticized the United Nations Command (UNC) on Wednesday, revealing that it had recently barred a senior presidential security aide from entering the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), reviving long-standing tensions over the scope of the UNC’s authority.
Speaking at a National Assembly hearing on legislation to expand peaceful use of the DMZ, Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young said Kim Hyun-jong, first deputy director of the presidential National Security Office, was denied access to the Baengmagoji battlefield, where the military conducted a 40-day excavation of Korean War remains this fall.
Jeong called the decision “inexplicable,” noting that a similar incident occurred in 2019 when then-unification minister Kim Yeon-chul was prevented from visiting Daeseong-dong village after the UNC refused entry to accompanying journalists. “It is difficult to accept a situation in which even senior government officials are blocked from exercising access to our own territory,” Jeong said.
From the border area in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, the South Korean flag in Daeseong-dong and the North Korean flag in Kijŏng-dong face each other across the western sector of the Demilitarized Zone. (Yonhap)
Under long-standing practice, the UNC maintains that all civilian and military entry into the DMZ requires its approval, citing its authority under the Korean War armistice. Seoul officials and some legal scholars argue that the mandate should apply only to military matters, since the armistice explicitly states the agreement is “purely military in nature.”
Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party have introduced bills that would allow access for non-military purposes — such as environmental, cultural, or historical projects — with only the unification minister’s approval. Jeong urged swift passage, saying the current system undermines national sovereignty.
The presidential office declined to comment on why Kim’s entry was denied. The UNC, in a written response, did not explain the decision but said it reviews all requests according to procedures designed to ensure safety and compliance with the armistice. It also reaffirmed that both civilian and non-military activities within the DMZ fall under its jurisdiction.
From October 15 to November 28, the Ministry of National Defense conducted a 40-day excavation operation to recover the remains of Korean War soldiers at Baengmagoji inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) along the central front. The ministry announced on December 1 that a total of 25 sets of remains and 1,962 personal artifacts had been recovered. The photo shows the recovery work in progress. (Image provided by the Ministry of National Defense)
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
