13 Local Governments Nationwide Demand "Second Relocation of Public Institutions to Population Declining Areas"

Joint Statement Announcement from Andong and Gongju

Relocation of Innovation Cities, Regional Imbalance

On the 3rd, 13 local governments in population-declining areas, including Andong-si, held the '2nd Public Institution Relocation Policy Forum' at Cheongpung Resort in Jecheon-si, Chungbuk.

This forum was organized in response to the public institution relocation policy focused on innovation cities. Thirteen local governments that are non-innovation cities and population-declining areas participated jointly.

The participating cities and counties on the day included Andong-si, Gochang-gun, Jecheon-si, Gongju-si, Nonsan-si, Danyang-gun, Donghae-si, Mungyeong-si, Miryang-si, Bonghwa-gun, Sangju-si, Yeongwol-gun, and Taean-gun.

Thirteen local government heads, including those from Andong City, where the population is declining, raised their voices, stating that "public institutions should be relocated to areas experiencing population decline."

The forum proceeded with Part 1 including the reading of a joint statement, signing by participating heads of organizations, and commemorative photos, followed by Part 2 featuring a keynote lecture and panel discussion on the 2nd public institution relocation policy direction and local government response strategies.

The local governments argued that “the first public institution relocation was limited to innovation cities, which was a limitation, and the restriction on public institution relocation has further worsened the situation by accelerating polarization between neglected local cities and the crisis of local extinction.”

Furthermore, to overcome these issues, they jointly proposed the government’s 2nd public institution relocation policy direction and urged the relocation of public institutions to population-declining areas.

Andong-si’s position is that relocating public institutions to innovation cities causes depopulation of nearby old downtown areas and regional imbalance, and that the relocation criteria need to change so that public institutions move not to innovation cities but to old downtown areas of population-declining cities, enabling mutual development with the old downtown.

Kwon Ki-chang, mayor of Andong-si, said, “Just as the nation exists because of its people, the country will revive only if the regions thrive,” and added, “I hope the 2nd public institution relocation to local areas will resolve regional imbalances centered on the metropolitan area, achieve national balanced development, and accelerate the realization of a local era where it is good to live anywhere in the Republic of Korea, which is a national policy goal.”