Chung Dong-young on USFK’s lack of consent for restoring no-fly zone: "The Office of National Security will coordinate our position"

The government plans to draw up a response at the level of the Office of National Security (ONS), after it failed to secure cooperation from United States Forces Korea (USFK) on the preemptive restoration of the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement and the re-designation of the no-fly zone. A senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had stated on the 24th that the United States had not agreed to the preemptive restoration of the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement.
After the plenary meeting of the 2026 Policy Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Unification, held at the annex of Government Complex Seoul on the 25th, Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young said, "The Office of National Security will take the lead in coordinating and announcing the government’s position," declining to present a separate stance from the Ministry of Unification alone. His remarks were interpreted as indicating that the government will prepare countermeasures through coordinated efforts involving Cheong Wa Dae (the Blue House), the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and others.
The Lee Jae-myung administration has so far pushed, under the leadership of the Ministry of Unification, for the preemptive restoration of the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement and the re-designation of the no-fly zone. The aim has been to prevent the risk of military clashes between the two Koreas caused by unmanned aerial vehicles flying north toward North Korea.
The September 19 inter-Korean military agreement, concluded in 2018, includes the establishment of a no-fly zone near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). This no-fly zone is linked to areas managed by the United Nations Command (UNC), making consultations with USFK and the UNC unavoidable. The Commander of United States Forces Korea concurrently serves as the Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Command.
However, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the previous day, "The United States has not yet agreed, and consultations are ongoing." It has been reported that USFK has secretly deployed assets such as the Boeing RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, the Lockheed U-2S high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, and the Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawk high-altitude unmanned reconnaissance aircraft for surveillance missions against North Korea. North Korea has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the operation of these US reconnaissance aircraft over and around its territory.
Meanwhile, Minister Chung assessed that the 9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), which North Korea has been holding for a week since the 19th, represents a meaningful development for the situation on the Korean Peninsula. He noted, "Judging from what has been disclosed so far about the 9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, it appears that for the next five years North Korea is placing emphasis on improving the economy and enhancing people’s livelihoods, while managing its messaging on military and external affairs in a relatively cautious manner." He went on to say, "The economic and livelihood-centered line that the North is highlighting at this party congress carries meaningful implications for the situation on the Korean Peninsula." Minister Chung added, "When peace and coexistence, which form the foundation for economic development and stable livelihoods, are within reach, there is no reason for us to confront each other or seek to harm the other side," and expressed hope that "together with our government, the newly elected party leadership in the North will be able to open a new era of cooperation for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula."
rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter