12/25/2014

Gov't move to Sejong now complete

The transfer of central government ministries and institutions to Sejong City was finalized on December 23. The transfer continued in three phases starting in 2005 and now a total of 36 ministries and institutions have moved to the country's new administrative capital. 

On the same day, President Park Geun-hye presided over the first cabinet meeting held at the Sejong Government Complex and, then, attended a ceremony to mark its completion. 

After attending a ceremony to mark the completion of the Sejong Government Complex, President Park Geun-hye helps plant a tree on December 23. 


"With the completion of the Sejong Government Complex, the transfer of government ministries and institutions to Sejong City has now been completed. The physical foundation of the administrative capital has been finalized," said President Park Geun-hye. "Now, we will have to concentrate our efforts on upgrading our administrative systems and related organizations for the new era of Sejong City." 

"So far, because of the transfer of government ministries, we have tried to overcome the physical distance between Seoul and Sejong by operating video conferencing systems and smart work systems," said Park. "The goal of transferring from Seoul to Sejong is to fully utilize science and technology, which will make government operations smoother and more effective." 


President Park Geun-hye makes a statement during the first cabinet meeting held in Sejong City. 


Later in her congratulatory remarks to celebrate the completion of the government complex, Park said, "The use of government and population resources have been concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area for too long. Sejong City represents our hope to overcome the unbalanced development of the nation and to promote more balanced progress." 

"The Sejong Government Complex is the center of Sejong City and is a Korean landmark, as well as a symbol of balanced development," the president added. 

"As 13,000 public servants from 36 central government ministries and institutions, as well as 3,000 people from state research organizations, now work in Sejong City, the city has truly become the administrative capital," said the president. "How to develop the city in a creative manner in the future depends on Sejong citizens, including public servants." 

The government complex consists of 17 buildings that are four- to 12-stories tall and which reach one to two stories below ground. The total floor space of the buildings cover 630,000 square meters, four times larger than that of the Gwacheon Government Complex (158,000 square meters). The 17 buildings form a 3.5-kilometer long rough horseshoe and are all connected via bridges and rooftop gardens. 

The high-tech government complex has video conferencing rooms and integrated control rooms and is equipped with closed-circuit television cameras to maximize the efficiency of the administration. It also has convenient facilities, including gyms, medical centers and multipurpose halls. Its energy efficiency is one of the best, as it is partly powered by geothermal heat and solar power. 

Korea's biggest artificial lake is adjacent to the complex, as well as the National Library of Korea, Sejong, and the Sejong Administrative Support Center, which has an international conference hall and exhibition venues. 

A memorial that keeps and displays the records of all Korean presidents will be built in the first half of 2015. A major performing arts center will open in 2018. 

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