Union urges adequate preparation and grace periods
Spouses' jobs, children's education and care must be considered
Calls for expanded special housing supply and civil servant rental units
The National Civil Servants Labor Union called on the government Wednesday to guarantee sufficient preparation time and a reasonable grace period for the planned second-phase relocation of central government agencies to Sejong, and to put in place substantive housing and settlement measures for affected civil servants and their families.
The union, known by its Korean acronym Gukgongno, issued a statement Wednesday saying that while relocating central government agencies to Sejong is an important step toward balanced national development and completing the administrative capital, "the success of the policy cannot be achieved simply by moving the physical location of agencies." The statement said the government must fully consider "the realities of life for civil servants and their families subject to relocation — including housing, livelihoods, spouses' employment, and children's education and care."
The union said it was particularly concerned that civil servants who had already moved to Seoul-based ministries following a government reorganization could face significant financial and housing burdens if required to relocate again to Sejong. It said a sudden change of workplace could deepen housing insecurity for those who had taken out mortgages and other loans to establish a home base in the greater Seoul area.
The union said temporary, short-term measures such as relocation allowances and commuter bus services are insufficient to resolve long-term housing instability and family hardship. It called for sustainable housing policies — including expanded special housing supply allocations and civil servant rental units — to help civil servants settle stably in Sejong.
The union also raised concerns about administrative efficiency and inter-agency coordination following the relocations. It said moving relevant ministries to Sejong while major diplomatic facilities such as embassies remain in Seoul could disrupt communication and collaboration with related agencies in the capital.
The union said the government must go beyond the physical transfer of agencies and develop concrete cooperation frameworks and supplementary measures to ensure swift communication and smooth collaboration among related institutions.
The union also cited its experience under its predecessor organization, the Administrative Civil Servants Labor Union, which had established a special committee on relocations to Sejong and innovation cities to protect the rights of affected civil servants and improve settlement conditions.
That committee held meetings and consultations with relevant government agencies, conducted on-site inspections, and called for measures to ease the financial burden of relocation — including relief on housing costs and support for moving expenses.
Drawing on that experience, the union said the success of agency relocations depends less on pace and schedule than on how thoroughly the government creates conditions for civil servants and their families to settle stably.
"The government must not push ahead on schedule and speed alone without sufficiently gathering the views of civil servants subject to relocation and their union," the union said. It warned that housing insecurity and family hardship could erode organizational morale and drive staff attrition, and that difficulties in inter-agency coordination could negatively affect the stability of administrative services and the continuity of policy implementation.
Four demands: labor-government consultative body, housing measures and more
The union said it supports the policy goals of balanced national development and the successful growth of Sejong, but made clear that the process must not demand one-sided sacrifice from civil servants and their families.
As its first demand, the union called for the immediate formation of an official labor-government consultative body — comprising the union and the government — to meaningfully incorporate the views of civil servants subject to relocation and to hold responsible discussions on the relocation schedule, methods, working conditions and support measures.
The union also urged the government to guarantee sufficient preparation time and a reasonable grace period. It said the government should take a comprehensive approach that accounts for the operational characteristics of each agency, housing transitions, spouses' employment, and children's education and care, and should avoid a uniform timetable in favor of a predictable, phased relocation plan.
On housing, the union called on the government to spell out long-term measures including special housing supply opportunities, expanded civil servant rental housing, and relief on housing costs. It said the plan must reflect the financial burdens already carried by civil servants who purchased homes or took out loans in the greater Seoul area, and must clearly specify eligibility criteria, budgets and implementation timelines.
The union further called on the government to conduct a thorough advance review of the impact on coordination with Seoul-based institutions — including major diplomatic facilities such as embassies — and to develop concrete cooperation frameworks and supplementary measures to ensure swift communication and smooth collaboration between agencies.
Union Chairman Lee Cheol-su said the union "demands responsible consultations with the government to protect the rights of civil servants subject to relocation and to maintain stable administrative services," adding that if the government continues to push policy unilaterally, the union "will respond through legitimate union activities."
7toy7@heraldcorp.com
