Government Plans to Spend 343.5 Billion Won Next Year on Relocating Ministries and Public Agencies

South Korea’s draft budget already sets aside 343.5 billion won for the planned relocation of central government ministries and more than 350 public agencies, according to a report published on Sept. 4.

The government has said it will move central administrative agencies from the Seoul metropolitan area to Sejong and relocate public institutions to innovation cities across the country. The budget includes 270.7 billion won from the future-response fund and 72.8 billion won in regular appropriations.

The funding arrangement has drawn attention because a large share would come from the future-response fund, which critics say receives weaker parliamentary oversight. The government previously announced that the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family would begin moving to Sejong in the first half of next year. The source text ends while describing further planned relocations.