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South Korea Announces Plan to Reinstate DMZ No‑Fly Zone After Drone Incursions

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  • Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks to reporters at a press briefing on Feb. 18, 2026. (Yonhap)
    Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks to reporters at a press briefing on Feb. 18, 2026. (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks to reporters at a press briefing on Feb. 18, 2026. (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks to reporters at a press briefing on Feb. 18, 2026. (Yonhap)
    Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks to reporters at a press briefing on Feb. 18, 2026. (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks to reporters at a press briefing on Feb. 18, 2026. (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks to reporters at a press briefing on Feb. 18, 2026. (Yonhap)
    Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks to reporters at a press briefing on Feb. 18, 2026. (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks to reporters at a press briefing on Feb. 18, 2026. (Yonhap) Source Full size

Government Announces Review of 2018 No‑Fly Agreement On Feb 18 2026 Unification Minister Chung Dong‑young said Seoul will review and seek to restore the September 19 2018 inter‑Korean military pact that created a no‑fly zone along the Demilitarized Zone, banning aircraft and drones within 15 km in the east and 10 km in the west of the border [1][2].

Recent Drone Flights Triggered Policy Shift North Korea accused South Korean civilians of sending drones into its airspace in September 2025 and again on Jan 4 2026; Kim Yo‑jong demanded preventive steps, and Chung expressed regret for the flights, accelerating the reinstatement effort [1][2].

Suspended Pact Remains Legal Basis for Zone Although both Koreas suspended the 2018 agreement in 2023‑2024, it continues to provide the legal framework for a no‑fly zone, and Seoul intends to reactivate it to avoid accidental military clashes and to build trust between the armed forces [2][3].

Government to Tighten Penalties and Amend Law The ministry announced plans to increase sanctions for unauthorized drones in the zone and to amend the Inter‑Korean Relations Act to prohibit actions that could heighten military tension [1].

Discrepancy Over Announcing Minister Articles 1 and 2 identify Chung Dong‑young as the announcing minister, while article 3 attributes the announcement to Unification Minister Lee Jong‑sup, highlighting an inconsistency in source reporting [1][3].

Sources

Timeline

July 2023 – A Marine conscript drowns while searching for flood‑victims, prompting a military inquiry that later underpins the abuse‑of‑power case against former President Yoon Suk Yeol [6].

October 2024 – South Korean officials allegedly dispatch surveillance drones toward Pyongyang, a covert operation prosecutors later claim Yoon used to provoke a North Korean retaliation and justify a December martial‑law bid [14][25].

Jan 6 2025 – Foreign Minister Cho Tae‑yul meets U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Seoul, underscoring the alliance’s focus on deterring North Korean threats ahead of rising inter‑Korean tensions [24].

Sept 27 2025 – North Korea’s KCNA reports a South‑origin drone launched from Paju that penetrates Phyongsan County and is forced down near Jangphung, accusing Seoul of “hostile enemy” provocations [22][23][20].

Jan 4 2026 – Pyongyang claims it tracks and electronically forces a drone from Ganghwa County to crash near Kaesong, warning South Korea it will “pay a high price” for the sovereignty violation [22][20][19][18][17].

Jan 9 2026 – North Korea accuses South Korea of a drone incursion over Kanghwa County, vowing “countermeasures” against the “unforgivable hysteria” [23].

Jan 10 2026 – South Korea’s Defense Minister Ahn Gyu‑back rejects the drone claims as false, stating the images “do not match any South Korean military drones” and announces a joint police‑military probe [20][19][18][21][22].

Jan 10 2026 – President Lee Jae Myung orders a swift, thorough investigation into the alleged incursions, warning that any confirmed drone flight “constitutes a grave crime” threatening peninsula peace [17].

Jan 11 2026 – North Korea says it downed an unmanned aerial vehicle, calling the act a “grave violation of sovereignty” and hinting at a “price” for Seoul, while Seoul pledges a rapid fact‑finding mission [16].

Jan 12 2026 – Seoul’s Unification Ministry vows to “continue efforts to ease tensions” and President Lee orders a joint military‑police fact‑finding team, emphasizing de‑escalation [15].

Jan 12 2026 – The Seoul Central District Court holds the first closed‑door hearing in Yoon’s “aiding the enemy” trial, focusing on the 2024 drone dispatch that prosecutors say was meant to trigger North Korean retaliation [14].

Jan 13 2026 – Kim Yo‑jong issues a KCNA statement demanding Seoul “acknowledge the provocation, apologize and take measures to prevent a recurrence” [13].

Jan 14 2026 – Unification Minister Chung Dong‑young says Seoul will act after the drone probe, noting a possible apology for a 2024 drone dispatch pending a court ruling [12].

Jan 16 2026 – Seoul reaffirms its “no‑intent to provoke” stance, links the drone issue to Yoon’s trial, and signals it will consider restoring the 2018 inter‑Korean no‑fly pact [11][12].

Jan 16 2026 – Police summon a civilian who claims he flew drones to monitor radiation at a North Korean uranium site, adding civilian involvement to the investigation [10].

Jan 20 2026 – Investigators raid offices and homes of three suspects tied to an alleged drone flight to the North, expanding the probe into possible civilian operators [8].

Jan 21 2026 – Joint police‑military teams raid the homes and startup office of three civilian drone suspects, seizing an unidentified object wrapped in white cloth [7].

Jan 23 2026 – South Korea places three civilians under overseas travel bans as part of its drone‑flight inquiry, citing links to a drone manufacturer and former presidential office contracts [2].

Jan 27 2026 – North Korea launches suspected ballistic missiles toward the sea, a demonstration timed to showcase weapons progress ahead of the Workers’ Party congress and to embed a “two‑state” system into the party constitution [1].

Feb 3 2026 – The Seoul Central District Court schedules the first pre‑trial hearing for former President Yoon Suk Yeol on the marine‑death‑probe interference case, marking another step in his multiple criminal trials [6].

Feb 18 2026 – Unification Minister Chung Dong‑young announces a review to reinstate the 2018 inter‑Korean no‑fly zone, proposing tighter penalties and legal amendments as part of the Lee Jae Myung administration’s security agenda ahead of the ruling‑party congress [5].

Future context: The Workers’ Party congress, expected in late January or February 2026, may codify a hostile “two‑state” system into the party charter, a move analysts link to the missile launch and heightened anti‑South rhetoric [1][2].

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