The United States has not yet agreed to South Korea's plan to restore the no-fly zone established under the September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement, a senior Foreign Ministry official confirmed.
"The restoration of the no-fly zone reflects our government's firm commitment, which was made clear from the start, and we are closely consulting with the U.S. side in this process," the official told reporters at the Government Complex Seoul on the 24th. "As we consult with the U.S., technical issues may arise that the U.S. appears to have concerns about. The U.S. has not yet agreed, and this remains under discussion."
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said at a press conference on the 18th that the government would "proactively review and pursue the restoration of the existing September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement, including the establishment of no-fly zones, to prevent accidental clashes and build military trust." The Defense Ministry announced the following day that it was "reviewing partial restoration of the September 19 Military Agreement, including the establishment of no-fly zones, in consultation with relevant ministries and the U.S. side."
Despite Seoul's commitment to restoring the agreement, Washington appears to remain cautious.
The official also addressed delays in implementing security agreements between Seoul and Washington, including the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines and adjustments to the nuclear energy cooperation agreement.
"The implementation of ROK-U.S. security agreements is proceeding without major issues," the official said. "If the U.S. delegation's visit is delayed, we are also open to having our side visit the U.S. first."
The U.S. had planned to dispatch a delegation as early as this month to follow up on security agreements reached between the two leaders. However, reports emerged that Washington postponed the delegation's visit after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs unlawful.
The official dismissed such reports. "The U.S. has not put the visit on hold. It is a matter of scheduling adjustments involved in assembling a large negotiating team," the official said. "It takes time for the energy and defense departments, the White House National Security Council, and the State Department to coordinate and formulate detailed positions."
"Reports suggesting that security consultations are also being delayed due to the Supreme Court ruling are not true. Security consultations will proceed without disruption," the official added.
The official noted that dialogue between the Foreign Ministry and Michael Needham, Counselor of the U.S. State Department, the previous day confirmed that consultations were "on track."
"However, given the uncertain situation and many unexpected variables, our position is that we need to move quickly," the official emphasized.