SEJONG — Sejong Mayor Cho Sang-ho said on the 13th that he welcomed the government's decision to specify the agencies and timeline for a second round of relocations of central administrative bodies to the city.
Speaking at a press briefing after the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced the plan, Cho said he "sincerely welcomes, together with Sejong's 400,000 residents, the government's resolve in setting out the targets and schedule for the second round of relocations."
"This round broadly includes foreign affairs and security ministries, various commissions closely tied to people's daily lives, investigative agencies and their affiliated bodies," Cho said. He called it "an important step toward improving an administrative structure split between the capital region and Sejong, and toward making Sejong a genuine center of state affairs."
"We will support the agencies' move-in and the settlement of their employees and families so that this change translates into tangible results," Cho said. "First, we will expand the task force the city has been running on its own, with the vice mayor for administrative affairs as its head, and carefully address what is essential for relocation support in each area — securing office buildings, housing assistance and living conditions — to minimize any inconvenience from the move."
He added that the city will create an Administrative Capital Support Division to oversee the work needed to complete the administrative capital, including ministry relocations, and actively support the moves of central administrative agencies. "We will focus on securing office space and supporting move-ins, providing housing for relocating employees, improving living conditions so their families can settle in, and offering support and resolving inconveniences as needs arise on the ground," he said.
Turning to the National Assembly, Cho called for lawmakers to "join forces on the legal revisions and budget support needed so that this relocation decision is carried out as planned and so that Sejong can serve as a metropolitan government that manages and supports the administrative capital." He added, "In particular, we urge the Assembly to enact the Administrative Capital Special Act during this regular session, to provide a legal basis for Sejong's status as the administrative capital and for the transfer of core national functions."