According to the second central administrative agency relocation plan announced by the government on the 13th, foreign affairs and security-related ministries such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Unification, and Ministry of National Defense, whose relocation was uncertain, were also included in the relocation target to Sejong by 2031.
However, since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Security has been classified as an agency excluded from relocation in the Special Act on Construction of Multifunctional Administrative City (Happy City Act) following the decision of the Administrative Capital Act to be unconstitutional in 2004, it is expected that considerable follow-up discussions will follow as the law needs to be revised for actual relocation and the special characteristics of diplomatic and military functions must also be taken into consideration.
The government announced on this day that it will promote the revision of the Happy City Act, build new government buildings, and move even foreign affairs and security ministries to Sejong without exception.
Most central administrative agencies, excluding presidential-linked agencies such as the Presidential Secretariat and the Presidential Security Service, were included in the transfer.
The official position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Unification, and Ministry of National Defense is that they will prepare a relocation plan in accordance with the government's decision.
The Ministry of Unification said, "We will consult with related ministries as government-level policies have been decided," and the Ministry of National Defense also said, "We will promote the second relocation of central administrative agencies in close cooperation with related agencies."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not issue an official position, but it is known that it plans to discuss detailed plans in accordance with the government-wide plan.
However, as these ministries are organizations that must communicate and cooperate quickly and closely with the Blue House, foreign embassies in Korea, and military command, it is expected that considerable coordination will have to be made during the transfer process.
If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs moves to Sejong, the physical distance from foreign embassies in Korea, which are concentrated in Seoul, is considered a major problem.
Even if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs moves to Sejong, it is unclear whether each country's embassies will move from the capital Seoul to Sejong.
There is a possibility that the embassy will choose to remain in Seoul for the time being, and even if it decides to relocate, it will take a considerable amount of time to secure land and build a new office building. There may continue to be a situation where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and each country's embassies have to travel between Seoul and Sejong for face-to-face discussions.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it is still too early to discuss this, and did not say anything, saying, "Once the relocation plan becomes concrete, communication (with foreign embassies in Korea) will take place."
The Ministry of National Defense is concerned about communication issues with military command centers such as the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The government's relocation plan to Sejong did not include the Joint Chiefs of Staff. If the Joint Chiefs of Staff remains in Seoul, the policy and military administration functions of the Ministry of National Defense and the military command and operational functions of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will move away from Sejong and Seoul, raising concerns about inefficiencies in the business cooperation process and weakening readiness.
Following the relocation of the Ministry of National Defense headquarters, how to relocate the units and institutions under the direct control of the Ministry of Defense in the metropolitan area is also a subject to be reviewed.
It appears that follow-up discussions will be needed on whether to keep state-run units and agencies in the metropolitan area, such as the Armed Forces Command and Communications Command, Cyber Operations Command, and Defense Counterintelligence Headquarters, in their current locations, or whether to move some functions directly linked to the Ministry of National Defense headquarters to Sejong.
The Ministry of Unification may point out that it is not appropriate for inter-Korean relations organizations, such as the Inter-Korean Talks Headquarters, to move all the way from the North to Sejong.
In addition, the operational efficiency of the National Security Council (NSC), which consists of personnel from the Blue House's National Security Office and ministers of foreign affairs and security ministries, may also become an issue in the process of relocating the three ministries of foreign affairs and security.
When pending issues arise in areas such as diplomacy, North Korea, or military, an NSC standing committee or working-level coordination meeting is convened. However, if the ministers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Unification, and the Ministry of National Defense and those in charge of working-level affairs are located in Sejong, there is a possibility that there may be physical restrictions in the response process, such as face-to-face meetings.
Due to these circumstances, it is predicted that the scale, method, and schedule of relocation to Sejong of foreign affairs and security ministries closely related to the functions of the President and the Blue House will be promoted in conjunction with the plan and schedule for establishing the President's Sejong Office.
