Gyeonggi Province Subsidiary Agency's Northeast Relocation Set Sail... Recruitment Applications Accepted Until the 12th

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] As April begins, the intense competition among basic local governments in the northeastern region of Gyeonggi Province to attract subordinate public institutions has officially started. Gyeonggi Province plans to receive letters of intent from the relevant local governments by the 12th of this month and select the final relocation area next month. However, opposition from the labor unions of the public institutions scheduled to relocate and residents of Suwon Gwanggyo New Town is becoming a new variable.

◆ Gyeonggi Province to Open Recruitment for Attraction by the 12th

Gyeonggi Province has decided to promote the relocation of public institutions concentrated in the southern region to the northeastern region and is accepting applications from 17 cities and counties in northern Gyeonggi, border areas, and natural conservation zones until the 12th of this month.

The institutions subject to relocation are seven organizations: ▲Gyeonggi Research Institute ▲Gyeonggi Women's Family Foundation ▲Gyeonggi Welfare Foundation ▲Gyeonggi Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Promotion Institute ▲Gyeonggi Credit Guarantee Foundation ▲Gyeonggi Economic Science Promotion Institute ▲Gyeonggi Housing and Urban Corporation.

The province will conduct a first round of document screening and on-site inspections this month, followed by a second round of presentation (PT) evaluations next month to announce the final relocation area.

The selected cities and counties will establish a comprehensive balanced development plan linked to the relocated institutions and continuously consult with Gyeonggi Province to provide information on buildings and sites for the institutions to use, thereby promoting the relocation.

Choi Won-yong, Director of the Planning and Coordination Office of the province, stated, "We will strive to expedite the relocation of the seven public institutions to ensure they are located in the optimal sites."

Previously, in December 2019, the province decided to relocate three public institutions ? Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation, and Gyeonggi Lifelong Education Promotion Institute ? to northern Gyeonggi. Then, in September last year, through a city and county recruitment, it was confirmed that the main offices of Gyeonggi Transportation Corporation, Gyeonggi Job Foundation, Gyeonggi Market Promotion Agency, Gyeonggi Environment and Energy Promotion Institute, and Gyeonggi Social Service Agency would be relocated to Yangju, Dongducheon, Yangpyeong, Gimpo, and Yeoju, respectively.

◆ Fierce Competition for Attraction Begins

Currently, Dongducheon, Uijeongbu, and Yangju are actively pursuing the attraction of public institutions.

Dongducheon City has decided to attract the Gyeonggi Housing and Urban Corporation (GH) and recently formed a task force (TF). Mayor Choi Yong-deok of Dongducheon said, "We succeeded in attracting the Gyeonggi Job Foundation last year," and emphasized, "This time, by promoting the attraction of the Gyeonggi Housing and Urban Corporation, we will create a new turning point for regional development that has been suppressed due to military facility protection zones."

Uijeongbu City has thrown down the gauntlet to attract the Gyeonggi Research Institute. On the 31st of last month, Uijeongbu held a resolution rally urging the relocation of Gyeonggi Province public institutions with city and provincial council members and citizen representatives. At this event, Mayor Ahn Byung-yong of Uijeongbu said, "Northern Gyeonggi has been forced to sacrifice in the name of 'national security' at the forefront of division," and promised, "In line with Governor Lee Jae-myung's administrative philosophy of 'special compensation for special sacrifices,' we will attract major subordinate institutions to inject new vitality into Uijeongbu."

Yangju City has launched comprehensive online and offline promotional activities to attract three institutions: Gyeonggi Economic Science Promotion Institute, Gyeonggi Welfare Foundation, and Gyeonggi Research Institute. Vice Mayor Jo Hak-su of Yangju expressed his determination, saying, "We will do our best to gain a competitive edge with proactive and differentiated strategies." Yangju also attracted the Gyeonggi Transportation Corporation last year.

◆ Labor Unions and Gwanggyo Residents' Opposition as a Variable

The labor unions of the institutions included in this relocation target have strongly opposed Gyeonggi Province's relocation plan. Additionally, residents of Gwanggyo, who had accepted the relocation as a fait accompli, are seeking legal measures against the institutions relocating to the northeastern region of Gyeonggi.

The 'Gyeonggi Province Public Institution Labor Union Federation,' composed of public institution employees, recently announced that it is considering filing a provisional injunction to suspend the execution of the relocation plan.

A federation official pointed out, "The relocation of public institutions was unilaterally announced without sufficient prior consultation," and questioned, "Some institutions must follow their own laws to change their addresses, so it is doubtful whether the governor has the unilateral authority to decide this."

Earlier, last month, the federation jointly launched the 'Gyeonggi Province Public Institution Relocation Opposition Pan-Provincial Alliance' with the Suwon Gwanggyo New Town Residents' Autonomy Committee and Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly members from Suwon.

The 'Gwanggyo Emergency Countermeasures Committee,' composed of representatives of Suwon Gwanggyo residents and the Cafe Street Development Committee, also held a press conference recently, urging, "Governor Lee Jae-myung should withdraw the public institution relocation plan."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.