Chungnam Requests Government for 'Priority Option' in Public Institution Relocation

[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Chungnam Province has requested the government to grant Chungnam a ‘priority selection right (draft system)’ in the second phase of public institution relocation plans.

On the 15th, the province held a ‘Presidential Regional Pledge Meeting’ with the National Balanced Development Committee at the Naepo Innovation Platform multipurpose conference room.

The meeting was organized to share the progress of presidential regional pledges and explore ways to realize them.

Earlier, President Yoon Seok-yeol, during his president-elect period, formed the Special Committee on Regional Balanced Development and promised seven major pledges and fifteen policy tasks for Chungnam, including the construction of the Chungcheong Inland Railroad and the Central Region East-West Transversal Railroad, the creation of a carbon-neutral pilot city in Naepo New Town, establishment of an advanced national industrial complex and defense industry cluster, construction of Seosan Civil Airport (Chungnam Airport), promotion of relocating public institutions to Chungnam Innovation City, strengthening public medical welfare, and ecological restoration of the Geum River estuary, Janghang smelter, and Garorim Bay.

Among these, the relocation of public institutions, the relocation of the Korea Military Academy to Nonsan, establishment of a regional medical school, expansion of a metropolitan three-dimensional transportation network, and creation of new industry innovation hubs were set as priority tasks to focus administrative efforts.

At the meeting, the relocation of public institutions, one of the presidential regional pledges, became a key topic. The province explained to the committee that since the designation of Chungnam Innovation City in 2020, there had been no policy initiatives, including public institution relocation, resulting in no progress in the innovation city project.

In particular, considering the unfair discrimination Chungnam endured by being excluded from the first phase of public institution relocation due to the construction of Sejong City, the province emphasized the need for special consideration for Chungnam in the second phase of public institution relocation.

Accordingly, the province requested that the second basic plan for relocating public institutions from the metropolitan area reflect the priority selection right to enhance fairness among regions.

The priority selection right was also proposed by Governor Kim Tae-heum of Chungnam when he met President Yoon Seok-yeol in October last year and requested from Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, who visited the provincial office in November.

Additionally, the province emphasized to the committee the urgent need to relocate the Korea Military Academy to Nonsan and establish a medical school at Kongju National University to address medical blind spots, requesting support for related legislation.

Kim Young-gwan, the province’s planning officer, said, “Chungnam is concentrating administrative efforts to realize presidential pledges early, such as public institution relocation and attracting the Korea Military Academy,” adding, “We hope the central government, including the committee, will continue to take interest in and support the realization of Chungnam’s presidential pledges.”

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