Civil servants reluctant to move to planned space agency in Sacheon

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By Lee Kyung-min

An increasing number of civil servants are expressing anxiety over their possible relocation to Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, where the government plans to establish a science ministry-supervised vice ministerial-level aerospace agency, separate from Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI).

Many say the remote coastal region is simply too far from Seoul and Daejeon, for example, and not at all suited to foster science and ICT research work ― as well as the unsuitable living conditions, which are unfavorable to their children's education and also the lack of cultural events.

Some employees of the agency will have no salary cap, according to measures outlined so as to attract high-level government officials with expertise in science. But this is drawing little enthusiasm from industry and science ministry officials, some of whom go as far as saying that they would rather take a leave of absence than move there.

“I would consider taking a leave of absence,” a Sejong-based central government ministry official said on condition of anonymity. “I think I speak for everyone when I say it took us years to settle in Sejong, where a considerable number of civil servants are still struggling to find a place to live. Living conditions in the southern city are not at all a plus to consider moving.”

Housing the envisioned agency in the remote southern city was a major campaign pledge of Yoon Suk Yeol during his successful run for the presidency last year. A bill to legislate the move will be submitted to the National Assembly as early as the first half of this year. At least 100 civil servants will have to move there.

Going on business trips will be another major issue for government officials, according to a mid-level government official.

“Many central government ministry officials in Sejong go to Seoul on business trips for policy discussions at least once or twice, which is time-consuming, to put it mildly,” the official said. “Traveling from Sacheon to Seoul every two or three days for work is something few would want to do.”

Policy coordination will be less than efficient, according to an employee at a state-run research institute.

Daejeon and Sejong house government ministries and state-run research institutes, enabling policymakers and private sector participants to meet for discussions often. But arranging similar meetings will not be as easy, if the officials are based in the remote southern city.

“Distance is all that really matters when people say where to meet and when, especially when in-depth policy discussions can lead to hours of exchanging opinions,” the employee at the research institute said. “This issue is not addressed, not because it is not a problem but because no one wants to openly criticize the plan.”