Korea Communications Commission Union Opposes Sejong Relocation... "No Prior Consultation with Employees"

The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) branch of the National Government Employees' Union has protested the agency's plan to relocate to Sejong City, urging authorities to reconsider the relocation schedule and engage in consultations with the union.

In a statement issued today (Nov. 2), the KCC union branch criticized the move, saying, "The parties concerned first learned of the relocation news through media reports on the day of the announcement, and there was not a single prior consultation with the labor union." They added, "This is a hastily driven relocation pushed unilaterally without prior discussion with employees."

They argued that matters such as the timing of the relocation, changes in workplaces, housing and relocation support, and measures for separated families are directly related to working conditions, and thus consultation procedures under the Public Officials Trade Union Act must be fulfilled.

In particular, out of the 301 staff positions in the KCC, 126 employees (42%) have been transferred or newly appointed within the past two years, raising concerns that their living foundations—including housing, children's education, and spouses' jobs—could be severely disrupted.

They added that some of the 33 employees who transferred to the KCC from the Ministry of Science and ICT in Sejong following a recent reorganization find themselves in a situation where they must move back to Sejong less than a year after moving from Sejong to Seoul.

While demanding an apology and official consultations from the government, the union urged authorities to re-examine the relocation schedule slated for the first half of next year, prepare separate measures for recently transferred and newly appointed employees, and formulate concrete support plans such as housing, relocation allowances, and children's education.

Previously, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced a plan on October 13 to relocate 44 central administrative agencies in the Seoul metropolitan area and 9,929 public officials to Sejong.

The KCC, with 301 positions, was included in the target for relocation in the first half of next year.

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