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Defense Ministry assures no gap in military readiness if no-fly zones near North return

Published: 19 Feb. 2026, 16:16

Defense Ministry spokesperson Jung Bit-na speaks during a regular briefing at the ministry headquarters in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Dec. 18, 2025. [NEWS1]

The Ministry of National Defense will take steps to prevent any gaps in military readiness as it considers reinstating no-fly zones near North Korea, the ministry said Thursday.

At a regular briefing, Defense Ministry spokesperson Jung Bit-na said the ministry is consulting with relevant government agencies and the United States to examine a partial restoration of the Sept. 19 inter-Korean military agreement that centers on reducing tension between the two Koreas, including the reestablishment of no-fly zones.

“We plan to push ahead with the measure while taking security steps to ensure there is no impact on military readiness,” Jung said.

Her remarks came in response to concerns that a unilateral move by the South to reinstate the no-fly zones could weaken surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities against North Korea.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said a day earlier that the government would pre-emptively review and pursue partial restoration of the Sept. 19 military agreement to prevent civilian drone incursions into the North from recurring and to reduce the risk of physical clashes while building military trust.

Under the agreement, aircraft operations, including drones, are restricted within 15 kilometers (9 miles) east and 10 kilometers west of the military demarcation line if the no-fly zones are reinstated.

The agreement was signed in 2018 during a summit between then-President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang.

Concerns center on the possibility that if only the South restores the zones, its tactical and operational-level surveillance capabilities using drones could be curtailed. After the Yoon Suk Yeol administration decided in June 2024 to fully suspend the Sept. 19 agreement, division- and corps-level drone operations inside the no-fly zones resumed, but those assets would again face restrictions if the zones are re-established.

Asked whether the surveillance role of division- and corps-level drones could be replaced by Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles or military reconnaissance satellites, Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Jang Do-young said the matter is currently under review and did not elaborate further.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]