Kim Yongtae Visits Chungnam and Sejong: "Relocation of Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan Requires Careful Consideration"

Kim Yongtae Meets with Kim Taehum, Governor of Chungnam, and Choi Minho, Mayor of Sejong on the 25th
"Agrees with Early Opening of Gadeokdo New Airport, but Calls the Ministry's Relocation a Hasty Move"

Kim Yongtae, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, held a meeting with Kim Taehum, Governor of Chungnam Province, on the afternoon of the 25th in the reception room on the 5th floor of the provincial office. Photo by Pyo Yoonji

Kim Yongtae, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, stated on the 25th that the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan should be decided carefully through a process of collecting and deliberating the opinions of both its members and the public, after meeting with Kim Taehum, Governor of Chungnam Province, and Choi Minho, Mayor of Sejong.

Chairman Kim visited the Chungnam Provincial Office in the afternoon and, during a meeting with Governor Kim, pointed out, "We need to think very carefully about the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries."

He particularly emphasized, "In the case of the ministry's relocation, it is an issue that must be decided after gathering the opinions of not only the ministry's officials and many related agency representatives, but also citizens from the Chungnam region and Busan."

Chairman Kim added, "If it is the philosophy of the Lee Jaemyung administration to relocate certain government ministries to innovation cities, then there must first be a thorough review of whether this is truly an effective way to operate the government."

He continued, "I agree that Busan should naturally serve as the maritime capital. However, to achieve this, the People Power Party is preparing initiatives such as the new airport on Gadeokdo and the establishment of a special law for a financial hub related to Busan. These measures should be prioritized first."

The relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries is one of President Lee Jaemyung's key regional balanced development pledges made during the presidential election.

The previous day, President Lee instructed Minister Kang Dohyung of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries at a Cabinet meeting to review measures to implement the ministry's relocation to Busan by the end of this year.

In relation to this, Governor Kim explained, "When President Yoon Sukyeol, as a member of the National Assembly, announced the relocation of the Korea Development Bank to Busan, I personally met with him and told him it was not appropriate. While relocating public institutions or decentralizing the administration from Sejong is good, what about Seoul? I believe Seoul should be developed as an international financial city, so I thought the relocation was not appropriate."

He further criticized, "It is questionable how much Busan would actually benefit from relocating the ministry, and from the perspective of administrative efficiency, it is also not appropriate."

Kim Yongtae, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is shaking hands with Mayor Choi Minho at Sejong City Hall on the afternoon of the 25th. Photo by Kim Giwan

Earlier, after meeting with Choi Minho, Mayor of Sejong, Chairman Kim agreed that the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan runs counter to the original purpose of establishing an administrative capital. He also expressed concern that the new administration's push for the relocation was carried out without review by the National Policy Planning Committee or consultation among ministries, which could significantly undermine governmental efficiency.

Mayor Choi said, "With President Lee Jaemyung ordering the relocation of the ministry to Busan within this year, 5.6 million residents of the Chungcheong region are deeply perplexed. There is growing public sentiment that the Chungcheong region is being neglected compared to Busan and Gyeongnam, and the disappointment among Chungcheong residents is considerable."

Chairman Kim also made clear his position, stating, "While I agree with the new administration's broad policy direction to establish Busan as a maritime capital, the relocation of the ministry is an issue that must be approached with caution." However, he stopped short of voicing strong opposition to the relocation. There is speculation that, since the mayor of Busan is a member of the People Power Party and the region has a strong conservative tendency, it would be politically difficult to disregard the interests of Busan and Gyeongnam, making it a sensitive issue.