South Korea to create second presidential office and move 350 agencies from Seoul

South Korea plans to move about 350 public agencies out of the Seoul capital region and establish a second presidential office in the administrative city of Sejong. The relocation is expected to begin in 2027, marking the public sector’s second large-scale move away from the capital area.

Prime Minister Han Seong Sook said the plan forms part of a strategy to address the growing imbalance between Seoul and other regions. Population, capital, businesses and infrastructure remain heavily concentrated in the capital region, while many other areas face declining populations.

Central government agencies will begin moving to Sejong in the first half of 2027. Larger agencies and relocations expected to have a substantial impact will receive priority. The government also plans to amend the law governing Sejong’s development, potentially allowing ministries that are not currently covered by relocation rules to move, including the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality.

The prosecution service and National Police Agency will relocate after new headquarters are completed. South Korea aims to open a second presidential office in Sejong in August 2029 and finish another National Assembly building there in 2033.

Sejong was established in 2012 as a special administrative city about 120 kilometers south of Seoul. Between 2012 and 2021, 43 central government agencies moved there, and several ministries now have headquarters in the city. Seoul remains South Korea’s capital and still hosts the presidential office.

Alongside the relocation, the government plans to cut or reorganize 109 public agencies to streamline the bureaucracy. Agencies with overlapping functions will merge, while some smaller bodies will be consolidated.