Jeonnam Provincial Council Member's Resolution Opposing the Relocation of the Presidential Office

The Jeonnam Provincial Council passed a resolution opposing the hasty relocation of the Presidential Office. Photo by Jeonnam Provincial Council

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] On the 24th, the Jeonnam Provincial Council passed a “Resolution Opposing the Hasty Relocation of the Presidential Office” in the plenary session, opposing the forced relocation of the presidential office.

Through the resolution, the council pointed out that the relocation of the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the president’s exclusive authority, the relocation costs were estimated carelessly, and that the sudden move could cause security gaps and crises. It also highlighted the lack of measures against infringement of residents’ property rights, traffic congestion, and confusion caused by rallies and protests.

Lee Kwang-il, a council member representing the resolution (Democratic Party of Korea · Yeosu 1), argued, “There are more than just one or two problems and concerns caused by the forced relocation of the presidential office.”

Lee said, “First, the authority to relocate the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff lies with the president, who is granted command of the armed forces by the Constitution,” and added, “Nowhere in the Act on the Transition of the President’s Office does it grant the president-elect the unilateral authority to announce the relocation of the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”

He continued, “There is a huge gap between the relocation cost of 49.6 billion won presented by the transition committee and the 500 billion won reported by the Ministry of National Defense to the transition committee,” and added, “The transition committee should resolve doubts about whether the relocation costs were estimated carelessly and present understandable relocation costs.”

Furthermore, he said, “Currently, the air defense system is centered around the Blue House, making it much safer than the Ministry of National Defense,” and explained, “If the presidential office is moved, the defense system must be adjusted, but this issue has not been properly reviewed, and if the presidential office and the Ministry of National Defense are geographically close, they will become concentrated targets of North Korean missile attacks.”

He added, “If security issues arise during the relocation process, new regulations will inevitably be imposed, raising concerns about infringement of residents’ property rights. Also, if the presidential escort vehicles pass through or rallies and protests occur, congestion around the Ministry of National Defense and surrounding areas is expected,” and emphasized, “The transition committee should not only present a rosy future but also provide specific and reasonable measures that the public can understand.”

The Jeonnam Provincial Council plans to send this resolution to the Blue House and the Presidential Transition Committee.

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