Kim Yoon-deok, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated that unless a public institution is essential to remain in the Seoul metropolitan area, it will be included in the relocation plan. He also announced a comprehensive review of the criteria used during the first relocation of public institutions.
During a press conference on administrative and public institution relocation held at the Government Seoul Building on September 3, Minister Kim emphasized, "Relocating public institutions is the most effective means to alleviate concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area and create new growth engines and quality jobs in the regions."
He acknowledged both the achievements and limitations of the first relocation, which saw 150 institutions and over 50,000 employees move to the Sejong City and ten innovation cities. While this led to growth in key regional industries, increased local employment, and expanded local tax revenues, it did not reverse the trend of concentration in the Seoul area.
Minister Kim noted that the dispersion of institutions across various regions resulted in insufficient agglomeration effects, and the living conditions in the innovation cities fell short of expectations.
To address these issues, he proposed the principle of minimizing the remaining institutions in the Seoul metropolitan area for the second relocation.
He stated, "I will conduct a comprehensive review of the remaining criteria applied during the first relocation and include institutions in the relocation plan unless they are absolutely necessary to remain."
This approach will move away from merely distributing the number of institutions across regions. Instead, it aims to cluster functionally related institutions together and enhance relocation benefits by linking them with local industries and universities.
The plan is to promote relocations centered around existing innovation cities while considering the government's 'five poles and three special growth engines' and the functions of current innovation cities. The relocated public institutions will be expected to create jobs and serve as anchors for regional growth through collaboration with local universities and industries.
Minister Kim also stressed the importance of the relocation speed. Unlike the first relocation, which required the completion of new buildings before moving, the government will utilize leased private buildings to begin relocating leading institutions starting next year.
He added, "We will significantly enhance support levels compared to the first relocation while providing robust assistance to institutions that relocate further and faster."
A detailed plan for the second public institution relocation is expected to be announced in the fourth quarter of this year.
Minister Kim concluded, "Balanced national development is an urgent task that cannot be postponed and a critical strategy for national survival. I will do my utmost to ensure that the second public institution relocation becomes a new growth engine for the regions and leads to tangible results in national balanced development."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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