Gyeongnam Governor Park Wansu: "Stop Going Against Government Policy, Departments Should Return to National Flag Year 1st Relocation"

"There can be no relocation of public institutions that goes against government policy."

Park Wan-su, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, strongly criticized the attempt to relocate departments of the Defense Technology Promotion Institute (Gukgiyun) within Jinju Innovation City, making this statement.

On the 29th, at the meeting of division and bureau heads held at the provincial office, Governor Park pointed out, "The Defense Technology Promotion Institute initially announced plans to relocate some departments but then withdrew the plan; however, there is a precedent of relocating key departments in May 2022."

He emphasized, "The department relocation plan of Gukgiyun not only contradicts the original purpose of relocating public institutions to local areas but also directly opposes the government's balanced regional development policy. The departments relocated in the first phase must be returned to their original locations."

Governor Park Wansu of Gyeongnam Province is leading the meeting of department and bureau heads. [Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]

The Defense Technology Promotion Institute located in Jinju Innovation City, Gyeongnam, recently considered moving some departments with about 50 personnel to Daejeon but withdrew the plan after strong opposition from Gyeongnam Province and the local community.

Previously, Gyeongnam Province, the Gyeongnam Provincial Council, Jinju City, and civic groups issued statements and held press conferences urging the withdrawal of the department relocation plan by Gukgiyun.

Governor Park conveyed his opposition to the relocation of key departments of Gukgiyun to Woo Dong-gi, Chairman of the Local Era Committee, who visited Gyeongnam.

He also proposed amendments to the "Special Act on the Creation and Development of Innovation Cities" and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's guidelines on "Post-Management Measures after Relocation of Public Institutions to Local Areas."

At that time, Governor Park told Chairman Woo, "In a situation where companies are relocating to local areas due to the designation of opportunity development zones, the re-relocation of public institutions contradicts the government's regional balanced development policy. Please respond strongly to prevent public institutions from relocating to non-capital metropolitan cities."

On this day, Gukgiyun stated that it would not unilaterally proceed with the relocation of the relevant departments to Daejeon without agreement from local governments.