Interior minister says Justice Ministry, Gender Equality Ministry to relocate to Sejong from first half of next year

The government plans to begin relocating central administrative agencies based in the greater Seoul area — including the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality — to Sejong on a phased basis starting in the first half of next year.

Agencies that require dedicated facilities, such as the prosecution service and the Korean National Police Agency, will move after new buildings are constructed.

Minister of Interior and Safety Yun Ho-jung announced the "Second Phase Plan for Relocating Central Administrative Agencies" at Government Complex Seoul on Thursday, saying the government would pursue the move "to strengthen a Sejong-centered national governance system and improve the efficiency of inter-ministry collaboration and communication."

The government plans to conduct a comprehensive review of central administrative agencies and their affiliated bodies in the greater Seoul area, taking into account each agency's functions, characteristics and operational ties with other agencies, before proceeding with the relocations to Sejong.

As a first step, the government will seek to amend the Special Act on the Construction of Multifunctional Administrative City to remove the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality from the list of agencies exempted from relocation, clearing the legal path for their move to Sejong.

The specific targets, methods and timelines for relocation will be finalized through consultations with relevant central administrative agencies and public hearings as required under the act, with the official relocation plan to be revised and publicly announced accordingly.

Following those procedures, the government intends to begin phased relocations from the first half of 2027, prioritizing larger agencies or those whose move would have the greatest impact.

However, agencies that require separate facilities — including the prosecution service and the Korean National Police Agency — will relocate only after new buildings are constructed.

Rather than moving all agencies at once, the government will proceed in stages, taking into account each agency's operational conditions and state of readiness.

The government will also develop continuity plans for each agency to ensure that services directly affecting the public — including civil affairs, licensing and policy implementation — are not disrupted or delayed during the transition.

To help relocating employees and their families settle in Sejong, the government plans to assess living conditions including housing, education, childcare and transportation, and to create a working environment that allows relocated agencies to resume stable operations as quickly as possible.

The government will include the budget needed for the relocations in next year's spending plan and will ask the National Assembly to cooperate on amending the relevant legislation.

A task force led by the Ministry of Interior and Safety and the Office for Government Policy Coordination, with participation from relevant ministries, will also be established to monitor each agency's relocation plan, progress on securing facilities, business continuity measures, and support for employees and their families.

"Relocating central administrative agencies is not simply a matter of moving government offices," Yun said. "It is about improving the efficiency of national administration, strengthening the role of Sejong as the administrative hub of the country, and laying a firmer foundation for balanced national development."