Interior ministry to move 44 agencies, 9,929 officials to Sejong from 2027

The interior ministry said Tuesday it will move 44 central government agencies and a total of 9,929 civil servants from the Seoul metropolitan area to Sejong in stages beginning in 2027, part of a push to make the administrative city the practical center of state affairs.

Under the plan, 27 agencies that do not require their own buildings, with a combined 2,995 officials, will move into leased private office space in Sejong during 2027. The Korea Communications Commission, the Personal Information Protection Commission, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, the National Education Commission and the Overseas Koreans Agency will go first in the first half of the year, with the Financial Services Commission and the remaining 19 agencies, including affiliates of ministries and advisory committees, following in the second half.

The remaining 17 agencies, staffed by 6,934 officials, need independent buildings and special facilities for investigative, security and control work. They will move sequentially after new buildings are constructed, with completion targeted for 2031. The justice ministry and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will have their relocation timing set to coincide with an amendment to the Happy City Act.

About 89.7 billion won ($67.2 million) is expected to be needed in 2027 for leasing, fitting out and operating offices for the agencies that move into rented space, along with relocation support payments, which include moving costs and initial settlement allowances. Building construction for agencies that require their own facilities is estimated at about 3.1 trillion won ($2.32 billion), with 28.6 billion won ($21.4 million) set aside for basic design work next year. For officials who cannot move immediately because of housing arrangements or their children's school terms, the ministry is considering temporary transportation assistance.

Five ministries are currently excluded from relocation under the Happy City Act: foreign affairs, unification, defense, justice and gender equality. The government will discuss with the National Assembly how to remove them from the exclusion list and will consult with lawmakers to secure the budget on time.

The ministry will revise and publish the relocation plan after legal procedures including consultations with related bodies and public hearings, and will move agencies sequentially according to their building and preparation status.

"This relocation of central administrative agencies to Sejong is a core national strategy to overcome the Seoul-centric single-pole system and use the country's territory efficiently so that South Korea can achieve sustainable growth and a new leap forward," Interior Minister Youn Ho-jung said. "As this decision concerns the nation's future, I ask for the cooperation of employees at the agencies being relocated, and we will take care of every matter without omission so that public inconvenience is minimized and relocated agencies settle in stably."