PM`s office to move to new administrative city in Sept. 2012

The Prime Minister`s Office will begin relocating to the new administrative city of Sejong City in September next year. The schedule for the relocation of central government offices was finalized in a meeting Thursday.

In addition to the Prime Minister`s Office, six ministries including those of finance and the environment and six government organizations under the ministries will move to Sejong City next year. The relocation will affect 4,139 government employees.

The building of the Prime Minister`s Office is scheduled for completion in April next year but the relocation will begin in mid-September in consideration of the work environment and efficiency. The relocation will be completed in December next year, when the prime minister moves into his new official residence.

The Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs Ministry will begin its relocation process before the end of November next year, followed by the Strategy and Finance Ministry on Dec. 10, and the Environment Ministry and the Fair Trade Commission on Dec. 17. The whole process is expected to take two to three weeks.

Six other ministries and six organizations under their supervision will move to Sejong City in 2013. The relocation of 36 administrative organizations will be completed in 2014, when four ministries and the National Tax Service and two organizations under them move into the new administrative city.

Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik instructed government ministries to make detailed relocation plans and related organizations to provide full support. He also urged thorough preparation to prevent inconvenience for first-time inhabitants of Sejong City and to make a comprehensive model for education.

will71@donga.com