The planned relocation of central administrative agencies and public institutions from the Seoul metropolitan area has made the move to Sejong a major issue. The key point is that the relocation of central administrative agencies to Sejong and the relocation of public institutions from the capital region to regional areas are being pursued together. However, the figures and timelines announced do not all mean the same thing. The priority relocation of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the planned relocation of around 350 public institutions, and the functional reform of 109 public institutions should each be understood separately.
Key Changes
The government said it is pursuing a plan to relocate central administrative agencies located in the Seoul metropolitan area to Sejong Special Self-Governing City starting in the first half of 2027. The relocation is being considered under an approach that prioritizes institutions with greater size and broader impact. The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family were specifically mentioned as priority institutions for phased relocation to Sejong beginning in the first half of 2027.
Under the current Special Act on the Construction of Administrative City, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family are classified as institutions excluded from relocation. The government plans to amend the law to remove these exclusions. Therefore, the current announcement describes the direction of the relocation initiative and the priority institutions; it does not mean that the necessary legislation and subsequent official notifications have already been completed.
The first distinction to make in this announcement is between “pursuing relocation” and “final confirmation.”
Current Status
For around 350 public institutions in the Seoul metropolitan area, the principle is to minimize the number that remain in the capital region. The government said it would announce relocation plans during the fourth quarter of 2026 and begin relocations from 2027. Early relocation using leased private buildings instead of waiting for new government offices to be built is also being considered.
By contrast, the figure of 109 does not represent the number of public institutions subject to relocation. It refers to the scale of the government’s functional reform plan for public institutions, including strategic structural reform, the consolidation of similar or overlapping functions, and the integration of small institutions. In other words, around 350 refers to the potential scale of institutions considered for regional relocation, while 109 refers to the scale of functional reform and consolidation plans.
| Category | Announced 내용 | Level of confirmation |
|---|---|---|
| Central administrative agencies | Relocation to Sejong to be pursued from the first half of 2027 | Specific institutions, methods, and timelines to be confirmed later |
| Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Gender Equality and Family | Mentioned as priority institutions for relocation | Legislative amendments and procedures required |
| Around 350 public institutions in the capital region | Plans to begin regional relocation from 2027 | Relocation plans scheduled to be announced in the fourth quarter of 2026 |
| 109 public institutions | Reduction and reorganization through functional reform and consolidation | Details require further confirmation |
Institutions requiring separate premises, such as the Prosecution Service, the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, and the National Police Agency, will pursue relocation after new offices are constructed. The relocation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Unification is expected to be reviewed in connection with the schedules for the Office of the President and the National Assembly’s Sejong branch. However, they were not presented as institutions whose relocation had been specifically confirmed in this announcement.
Impact
If the relocations proceed, continuity of administrative services will be an important point to monitor because each institution’s workplace and operating location will change. The government said it would prevent service gaps in civil complaints, permits and approvals, and policy implementation during the relocation process. It also presented a policy to support residential conditions—including housing, education, childcare, and transportation—for employees and their families.
The pace of relocation is also a variable in the relocation of public institutions. The government is considering early relocation using leased private buildings, rather than requiring every institution to move only after new offices are completed. However, each institution’s destination, office arrangements, date, and budget may be finalized in subsequent plans, so the current announcement should not be interpreted as a simultaneous relocation of all institutions.
The plan to reform the functions of 109 institutions should also be examined separately from the relocation plan. Although the government presented both an expansion of relocation targets and a parallel effort to reorganize or consolidate institutional functions, the announcement provides no basis for adding the two figures together or treating them as the same group of institutions.
Next Checkpoints
The specific institutions, methods, and timelines for central administrative agency relocations are expected to be finalized after consultations among relevant organizations and public hearings, followed by amendments to and official notification of the relocation plans. For the roughly 350 public institutions in the capital region, the announcement of relocation plans in the fourth quarter of 2026 will likewise be the next key benchmark.
Readers should watch for the following:
- What procedures are used to advance legislative amendments related to the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family
- How the institutions and timelines for each central administrative agency are presented in the amendments and official notifications issued in the fourth quarter of 2026
- Whether the final regional destinations and early-relocation methods for around 350 public institutions are disclosed
- How the institution-specific reorganization and consolidation plans for the 109 functional-reform targets are developed
The conclusion based on currently confirmed information is clear. The relocation of central administrative agencies to Sejong in the first half of 2027 has been announced as a plan, and the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family have been named as priority institutions. However, the final list of institutions and their timelines still require subsequent confirmation procedures. In addition, the regional relocation of around 350 institutions and the functional reform of 109 institutions are different policy figures.