Debate rises over jurisdiction of DMZ for nonmilitary access

South Korean lawmakers are pushing legislation that would give the government control over civilian access to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), prompting a clash with the United Nations Command (UNC) over the scope of legal authority in the heavily fortified inter-Korean buffer zone. However, it remains unclear whether the proposed legislation, if passed, would actually force the UNC to hand over that authority to the South Korean government, as legal debates over jurisdiction persist. Two similar bills, introduced separately by ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmakers Lee Jae-gang and Han Jeoung-ae, aim to grant Seoul the power to approve civilian entry and other peaceful uses of areas within the DMZ. Currently, any such access requires approval from the U.S.-led UNC, whose authority derives from the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement. Supporters of the legislation argue that the UNC's mandate is limited to military administration, not civilian activity, and that the armistice does not stand above domestic laws. “The role of the UNC immediately after the war in the 1950s cannot be vie