South Korea’s plan to execute a second wave of public institution relocations to Sejong City has sparked a sharp political clash between the ruling and opposition parties over execution speed and financial planning. According to an announcement released on December 3 by the government, central ministries including the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, alongside capital-region public institutions, are scheduled to move to Sejong starting in the first half of next year.
Agencies requiring specialized facilities, such as the prosecution offices and the National Police Agency, will relocate after new buildings are constructed. The push has ignited an intense debate in the National Assembly, with the ruling People Power Party criticizing the timeline as an unprepared speed race lacking concrete plans and budgets, while the main opposition Democratic Party argues that the previous administration delayed the process for three years and created unnecessary uncertainty.
Political Clash Over Relocation Timeline and Funding
According to a written briefing issued on December 5 by Democratic Party Spokesperson Lee Yong-woo, the ruling party is displaying an inconsistent stance by supporting the overarching direction of regional balance while simultaneously stalling execution. The Democratic Party maintains that the second wave of public institution relocations was a core presidential election pledge and national agenda item under the previous administration of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The Democratic Party points out that the prior government promised in January 2023 to begin relocations as early as the second half of that year, but repeatedly delayed the timeline without confirming specific targets or operational scale. “Wasting three years and now criticizing the government for having declarations without plans defies common sense,” Spokesperson Lee stated, adding that it is contradictory for the People Power Party to push for immediate relocation in the past only to slam the current timeline as a rushed speed race after a change in administration.
Government Roadmap and Opposition Counterarguments
The government plans to gather feedback from local governments, labor unions, and other stakeholders through the fourth quarter to finalize target institutions and secure necessary funding allocations. In response to opposition criticism regarding financial details, the Democratic Party countered that target agencies and destination regions must be determined before accurate budgets can be calculated, making it premature to demand funding figures before targets are finalized.
“National balanced development is not a partisan issue but a task tied to South Korea’s future,” Spokesperson Lee stated, calling for bipartisan cooperation rather than political friction over a policy agenda previously advanced by the conservative administration.
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