[2020 National Audit] Chairman Yoon Kwan-seok: "No Setbacks Allowed in Establishing the National Assembly Sejong Office"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] On the first day of the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee audit on the 7th, Yoon Kwan-seok, chairman of the National Assembly Political Affairs Committee, confirmed the progress of the 'National Assembly Sejong Chamber' with Koo Yoon-cheol, Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, and emphasized the necessity of prioritizing the relocation of standing committees related to the Government Sejong Complex.

Chairman Yoon stated, "The necessity of establishing the Sejong Chamber to enhance the efficiency of national governance has already been raised several times," and Director Koo responded, "All necessary grounds have been prepared before implementation through research projects and perception surveys."

According to a perception survey conducted by the Office for Government Policy Coordination targeting central government officials located in Sejong Special Self-Governing City, 85.9% responded that the establishment of the National Assembly Sejong Chamber is necessary, and 86.2% answered that it contributes to balanced national development and strengthening local autonomy. It was also confirmed that the National Assembly (59.3%) is the region with the highest number of business trips by Sejong Complex officials.

In 2017, the Korea Institute of Public Administration and in 2019, the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements each conducted research projects that concluded the promotion of the National Assembly Sejong Chamber is reasonable from political, social, administrative, and economic perspectives, and that the relocation of National Assembly standing committees and the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts related to the Government Sejong Complex to Sejong City is necessary for work efficiency.

Chairman Yoon expressed his view, "Even if it is only the National Assembly standing committees related to the Government Sejong Complex, there is a need to relocate them to the Sejong Chamber first," adding, "Just by the standing committees relocating first, it is expected to maximize the efficiency of linked work between the National Assembly and the government and reduce waste of taxpayers' money."

Furthermore, he requested, "The Office for Government Policy Coordination should make every effort to ensure that there are no setbacks in carrying out the national agenda of establishing the Sejong Chamber."