Will South Korea relocate administrative agencies from Seoul? Transfer of foreign affairs and national defense to the central region and Sejong City - eliminating overconcentration in the metropolitan area

[Seoul Current Affairs] On the 13th, the South Korean government announced a plan to move the central administrative agency from Seoul to Sejong City in the central region, with the aim of eliminating overconcentration in the metropolitan area. This time around 10,000 people from 44 organizations were targeted, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry of Unification. If this happens, foreign embassies, including Japan's, may also have to relocate.

The relocation has been underway since 2012, and there are already 43 institutions in Sejong. During last year's presidential election, President Lee Jae-myung pledged to establish the presidential office and the National Assembly building in Sejong and make it the ``administrative capital.'' Preparations are underway with the aim of completing construction in 2029 and 2033, respectively.

Under the second phase of the plan, approximately 3,000 people from 27 organizations, including the Ministry of Justice, will be transferred in 2027. By 2031, 17 organizations and approximately 7,000 employees, such as foreign affairs, national defense, and the police, which require separate government buildings due to their information management and other characteristics, will be relocated to new buildings by 2031.