The government has announced plans to relocate central administrative agencies remaining in the Seoul metropolitan area to Sejong sequentially starting in the first half of 2027, while pursuing the second phase of public institution relocations in earnest from 2027. However, final relocation schedules for individual agencies and the full list of public institutions covered cannot yet be considered confirmed.
Key Changes
The timelines for administrative agencies and public institutions should be distinguished. The relocation of central administrative agencies to Sejong is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2027, while the second phase of public institution relocations is expected to be pursued in earnest from 2027.
The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family were mentioned as priority relocation candidates for the first half of 2027 because of their size or the expected impact of their relocation. Reports said that agencies such as the Prosecution Office, the Central Investigation Office, and the National Police Agency would relocate after new, separate buildings are constructed.
The information currently confirmed concerns the policy to pursue relocations and the priority candidates; it does not mean that all agencies will have completed their relocations.
Current Status
The government said it plans to announce specific details of the second phase of public institution relocations in the fourth quarter of 2026. Therefore, as of September 3, 2026, the full list of public institutions subject to relocation and the final schedule for each agency should not be treated as confirmed.
The government’s main principles are as follows:
- Minimize institutions remaining in the Seoul metropolitan area and reduce exceptions to relocation eligibility
- Assign public institutions in connection with regional specialized industries and innovation capabilities
- Avoid fragmented, quota-like distribution
Regarding the Ministry of Justice’s relocation to Sejong, the ministry said reports in February 2026 that it opposed the move were inaccurate and that it would actively participate in discussions on future relocation plans.
Impact
The policy has brought Sejong back into focus as a major hub for the relocation of central administrative agencies. Public institutions may be assigned based on regional specialized industries and innovation capabilities, but specific allocations must be confirmed when the future plan is announced.
Local governments’ proposed recruitment targets should also be distinguished from the government’s confirmed list. South Gyeongsang Province identified 40 institutions as recruitment targets, including the Industrial Bank of Korea, the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, the Korea Environment Corporation, and the Korea Racing Authority. However, these 40 institutions are a local-government wish list, not a nationwide list of relocation targets confirmed by the government.
Next Checkpoint
The most important checkpoint is the government’s planned announcement of its public institution relocation plan in the fourth quarter of 2026. The announcement should clarify how specifically the full list of target institutions and the schedule for each agency will be defined.
Readers should currently distinguish among the following:
- The policy to pursue the relocation of central administrative agencies to Sejong beginning in the first half of 2027
- The second phase of public institution relocations to be pursued in earnest from 2027
- Whether the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family are mentioned as priority candidates
- The difference between local governments’ recruitment targets and the government’s confirmed list of target institutions