Prime Minister Han: Minimizing Public Agencies Remaining in Capital Area, Downsizing 109 Agencies

Prime Minister Han Sung-sook announced today (the 3rd), "We will announce relocation plans for about 350 public agencies in the capital area during the fourth quarter of this year under the principle of minimizing those remaining, and begin relocation starting in 2027."

Prime Minister Han made the remarks during a press conference held at the Government Complex Seoul this morning regarding the "Relocation Plans for Administrative and Public Agencies and Measures to Reform Public Agency Functions," stating, "We will swiftly promote the relocation of public agencies to regional areas."

She continued, "As the President has also emphasized, we will avoid 'pie-dividing' distributions and instead gather regional growth energy like a bonfire, concentrating it around innovation cities to maximize the power of regional hubs."

While acknowledging that "there will undoubtedly be some differing views and walls of conflicting interests," she promised, "We will fully listen to diverse opinions from local governments and the labor sector to create a rational relocation plan that gains broad consensus, thereby minimizing social conflicts."

Prior to this, Prime Minister Han stated that the relocation of central administrative agencies will also be pursued in earnest.

She said, "For central administrative agencies located in the capital area, we will push to relocate them to Sejong City starting in the first half of 2027, prioritizing agencies with larger relocation scales and ripple effects."

At the same time, she promised, "Sejong City is the symbol and central axis of balanced development. By building the presidential office in Sejong in August 2029 to place the center of administration in Sejong, and supporting the completion of the National Assembly Sejong Building by 2033 without a hitch, we will complete the administrative city as the true center of state affairs."

In addition, Prime Minister Han emphasized, "To respond to the rapidly changing policy environment, we will boldly reform the functions of public agencies," adding, "Through strategic structural reforms to strengthen global competitiveness, the integration of overlapping and duplicate functions, and the consolidation of small-scale agencies, we will downsize 109 public agencies, the largest scale ever."

She added, "Each ministry will prepare implementation procedures such as roadmaps for functional reform, and agencies that do not require procedures like legislative amendments will immediately begin implementation," noting, "We will also devise various support measures, including guaranteeing employment succession for employees of the affected public agencies, alongside compensation, welfare benefits, and incentives."

Finally, Prime Minister Han urged, "We will swiftly and effectively promote the tasks reported today. We will marshal pan-governmental capabilities for the effective implementation of policies," and requested, "We also ask for the full support of the National Assembly."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.