Full Breakdown
South Korea to Relocate 44 Central Agencies to Sejong by 2031
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Overview of the Relocation Plan
South Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced a phased move of 44 central government agencies from the greater Seoul area to the administrative capital of Sejong. The scheme will shift 9,929 civil servants in two stages: 27 agencies, employing 2,995 staff, will relocate in 2027 to privately-leased office space, while the remaining 17 agencies—requiring dedicated facilities—will follow as new government complexes are completed, with a final deadline of 2031. Agencies slated for the first wave include the Financial Services Commission, Personal Information Protection Commission, Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, National Human Rights Commission, National Education Commission and the Overseas Koreans Agency. The later wave encompasses the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Unification, National Defense, Justice, the Korean National Police Agency and several audit and anti-corruption bodies.
Background and Policy Context
Sejong City, founded in 2007 as a planned administrative hub, was created to ease congestion in Seoul and promote balanced regional development. Since 2012, 18 ministries have already moved there, yet the National Assembly, presidential office and key security ministries remain in Seoul. The current relocation continues a decentralisation agenda first proposed by former President Roh Moo-hyun in 2002; a Constitutional Court ruling later blocked a full capital shift. Today, the Seoul metropolitan area houses roughly half of South Korea’s 52 million residents and generates a disproportionate share of economic activity, prompting the government to reduce spatial concentration.
Implementation Details and Costs
The project is budgeted at 3.1 trillion won (? 2.3 billion USD) for new office buildings, plus 89.7 billion won (? 66.8 million USD) for leasing, temporary facilities and relocation assistance. An initial allocation of 28.6 billion won will fund design work beginning in 2027. Five ministries—Foreign Affairs, Unification, Gender Equality and Family, Justice and Defense—are exempt from relocation under the Special Act on the Construction of Sejong City; the interior ministry will consult the National Assembly to amend these exemptions. Financial support will cover moving costs, settlement expenses and, where needed, temporary transportation for staff unable to relocate immediately.
Verbatim Quotes
“The relocation of central government agencies to Sejong is a national strategy aimed at reducing the country's dependence on the greater Seoul area by making more efficient use of land and laying the groundwork for Korea's next phase of growth,” — Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung
What’s Next
The interior ministry will finalize the relocation schedule after public hearings and legal amendments, with the Justice and Gender Equality ministries setting their dates pending legislative change. The presidential secretariat and Office of National Security will have their timelines reviewed after the presidential office complex is completed in 2029. The National Assembly’s Sejong branch is slated for 2033, marking the final stage of the government’s long-term decentralisation strategy.