Plans to Move Some 200 Public Institutions to Provinces

Chairman Seong Kyoung-ryung of the Presidential Committee on Balanced National Development said on January 31 that the government should advance its movement plan of the country’s public institutions. He further stated that the relocation of the nation’s public offices shouldn’t be stopped by some “crazy people” who assert that the relocation plan would cause the metropolitan area’s hollowness. He added that that he would fight against them, if necessary.

At a lecture held in the Uri party, Chairman Seong Kyoung-ryung said that he would proceed to relocate the nation’s 180 to 200 public institutions in Seoul to provinces.

He said that some people’s accusations of the effects this relocation would cause such as the hollowing of the Seoul area and the fall in land prices were not right, and urged the government and the ruling party to take drastic measures to the media’s indication of the relocation’s disadvantages.

Regarding the movement of the economic department, Chairman Seong claimed that the relocation plan had nothing to do with the economic situation, adding that the reason for Seoul areas’ overpopulation was because of the many jobs in Seoul, not because of the Ministry of Finance and Economy or the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Energy themselves.

Young-Hae Choi yhchoi65@donga.com