Basic Plan Establishment and Design Competition... Target Completion by June 2028
Site Selection Committee to be Formed in August, Site Selection Service by October
"Complete Construction Procedures as Quickly as Possible to Start New Building Within Term"
Gangwon Province Governor Kim Jin-tae held a press conference at the Gangwon Provincial Office on the 26th and announced the roadmap for the construction of the new Gangwon Provincial Office building. Photo by Ra Young-cheol
[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] The 8th term of Gangwon Province's autonomous government has finalized a roadmap for the construction of the new provincial government office building and is set to proceed in earnest.
Kim Jin-tae, Governor of Gangwon Province, held a press conference on the morning of the 26th and stated, "We officially declare the construction of the new provincial government office building, which will serve as the administrative center of the new 100-year Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province," adding, "We will complete the site selection within this year."
The province aims to complete the new building by 2028, following public hearings, seminars, and two rounds of feasibility studies.
To this end, a site selection committee ensuring fairness and expertise will be formed in August, and a site selection feasibility study will be conducted by October.
The site selection committee will consist of three ex officio members (Deputy Governor, Director of Planning and Coordination Office, Director of Construction and Transportation Bureau) and 14 appointed members.
The appointed members include two civilians recommended by the governor and two by the provincial council chairman, two provincial council members recommended by the council chairman, and eight publicly recruited civilian experts (in law, accounting, architecture, urban planning, cadastral affairs, civic organizations, etc.).
After a public deliberation process, the final site will be selected around the end of December. From January next year to March 2024, the province will proceed with the basic planning study and the central investment review by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
Following this, by December 2025, the province plans to complete the design competition for the building, as well as the basic and detailed designs, with construction starting in January 2026 and completion scheduled for June 2028.
Although the province has not disclosed the specific construction budget, it plans to actively consider applying the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Act and the Special Act on the Relocation of the Provincial Government Office to secure national funding, and to devise various budget measures such as selling unnecessary land including river areas.
Governor Kim said, "The current government office building is 65 years old, deteriorated, and has safety issues. Departments are scattered across multiple buildings, causing inefficiencies in work," adding, "We will complete the construction procedures as quickly as possible and start construction of the new building within my term."
He continued, "The new provincial government office building is the first step toward the era of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. Administration based on accessibility, scalability, and transparency will be applied not only to site selection but also to the overall construction process including design, layout, and functionality."
He emphasized, "We will make the construction of the new provincial government office building the best practice of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province administration."
During the local elections in June, Governor Kim expressed his intention to reconsider the site selection from scratch, stating, "The previous site selection was decided behind closed doors."
Previously, former Governor Choi Moon-soon, former Chuncheon Mayor Lee Jae-soo, and Democratic Party lawmaker Heo Young announced in January this year that the provincial government office would be relocated to the site of the former U.S. military base (Camp Page) in downtown Chuncheon.
Meanwhile, the province plans to separately proceed with the construction of the Gangwon Provincial Government Office Building No. 2 and will announce related plans soon.
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