Sejong:Seoul The foreign, unification, and defense ministries in South Korea will be relocated from Seoul to the central administrative city of Sejong by 2031. This move is part of a larger plan to relocate government agencies, impacting nearly 10,000 public servants, as announced by the Interior Ministry on Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the decision follows last month's agreement to transfer some government ministries and public institutions to Sejong, located approximately 110 kilometers south of Seoul, starting next year.
A total of 44 ministries and agencies will be relocated in phases between next year and 2031. The timing of each move will depend on specific agency needs and the availability of office space. Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung emphasized that this strategy aims to decentralize the capital-focused administrative system and promote sustainable growth.
Starting next year, 27 ministries and agencies will move to temporarily rented spaces in Sejong. By the first half of 2027, the Korea Media and Communications Commission, the Personal Information Protection Commission, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, and the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, among others, will relocate. Following them in the second half of 2027 will be 19 agencies, including the Financial Services Commission and various ministry-affiliated organizations.
The justice and gender equality ministries are also set to move next year, contingent on changes to a law that previously excluded them from relocation. The remaining 17 agencies, which require specialized office spaces, will complete their relocation by 2031 after the new government building in Sejong is finished. These include the Board of Audit and Inspection, the Prosecution Service, and the National Police Agency.
Additionally, the Sejong offices for the president and the National Assembly are scheduled to be completed by 2029 and 2033, respectively. This relocation plan, affecting 9,929 public servants, aims to support their living, relocation, and commuting needs. The initiative is part of ongoing efforts over the past decade to reduce the concentration of national functions in Seoul and promote balanced national development. The relocation process began in 2012 with the prime minister's office moving to Sejong, and 44 central government organizations have since completed their moves.