The government is moving 44 administrative agencies located in the Seoul metropolitan area to Sejong. Twenty-seven agencies, including the Financial Services Commission, the Korea Communications Commission, and the Personal Information Protection Commission, will relocate first next year, followed by 17 agencies after new office buildings are constructed.
On October 13, the Ministry of Interior and Safety announced the "Second Central Administrative Agency Relocation Plan" at a briefing in the Government Seoul Building. The total number of relocating personnel is 9,929 civil servants, based on the ministry's previous announcement on September 3 regarding the relocation direction for the second phase.
Yoon Ho-jung, Minister of Interior and Safety, explained, "After reviewing a total of 142 administrative agencies in the metropolitan area, we decided that all central ministries will move to Sejong for the efficiency of national governance, while excluding agencies that provide direct face-to-face services from the relocation plan."
In the first half of next year, six agencies, including the Korea Communications Commission, the Personal Information Protection Commission, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, the National Human Rights Commission, the National Education Commission, and the Overseas Koreans Agency, will relocate first. In the second half, the Financial Services Commission and 19 other agencies affiliated with various ministries will move.
The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family are also included in next year's relocation plan. However, the specific timing for these two ministries will be determined in accordance with amendments to the Happy City Act. Under the current Happy City Act, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Unification, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family are designated as agencies excluded from relocation. The government plans to discuss with the National Assembly ways to remove these agencies from the exclusion list.
Seventeen agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Unification, the Ministry of National Defense, the Board of Audit and Inspection, the Public Prosecutor's Office, the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, the National Police Agency, and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, along with 6,934 personnel, will relocate after new office buildings are constructed. The plan is to establish independent offices and specialized facilities suitable for their operational characteristics by 2031.
The government will also implement support measures to help relocating civil servants and their families settle in Sejong, including housing, transportation, and relocation expenses. They will provide moving costs and initial relocation support, and for civil servants who cannot move immediately due to housing arrangements or the end of their children's school terms, temporary transportation support is being considered.
Budget allocations for the relocation will also be secured. It is estimated that about 89.7 billion won will be needed for the rental, establishment, and operational costs of the offices for the relocating agencies, as well as for civil servant relocation support.
The construction costs for independent offices and future rental offices are estimated at about 3.1 trillion won. The government plans to initiate the construction process by reflecting approximately 28.6 billion won in the basic design costs for next year. The total project cost may be adjusted based on the location and facility size of each agency, as well as site acquisition and design results.
Minister Yoon stated, "The relocation of central administrative agencies to Sejong is a key national strategy to overcome the concentration of power in the metropolitan area and to utilize national space efficiently, enabling South Korea to achieve sustainable growth and a new leap forward. We will ensure that the relocation is carried out while minimizing inconvenience to the public and supporting the relocating agencies to settle in stably."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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