South Korean government plans to relocate 44 agencies to Sejong by 2031 — Korea Herald
The South Korean government has unveiled a plan to gradually relocate 44 central government agencies that are still based in the capital region to the city of Sejong. It plans to implement the plan by 2031. The list includes, among others, the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Korea Herald reports.
Concerns over defense coordination
Experts and representatives of the opposition People Power Party warned that relocating the defense ministry could complicate coordination in crisis situations. The Joint Chiefs of Staff, which directs military operations, was not included in the relocation plan. Key military command facilities will also remain in the capital area.
Shin Jong-woo, secretary-general of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, said that during an emergency, the president, defense minister, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other leaders must swiftly coordinate actions from a command post. He also raised the issue of secure infrastructure in Sejong in the event of a nuclear attack by North Korea.
According to the publication, the distance between Sejong and the National Security Council crisis center at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul is about 120 kilometers in a straight line. Meanwhile, the distance between the Ministry of National Defense and the CP Tango military command post is about 20 kilometers.
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Legislative and diplomatic barriers
The plan is not yet final: current legislation exempts the ministries of defense, foreign affairs and unification from relocating to Sejong, so legislative changes are needed first. The Ministry of National Defense said there is no requirement for the president, defense minister and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to always be in the same location. A separate military official also noted that command centers are connected through secure communications and videoconferencing systems.
For the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a separate problem is the concentration of diplomatic life in Seoul, where 118 embassies are located. Ministry representatives pointed to logistical and protocol-related difficulties, as airports in the capital region, hotels, diplomatic missions and major international events are concentrated in the capital. The Foreign Ministry said it is discussing the relocation plan with relevant agencies.
South Korea began relocating ministries to Sejong in 2012 after the Constitutional Court blocked a plan to create a new administrative capital in 2004. Construction of a second presidential office in Sejong is scheduled to be completed in 2029.
