By Bae Ji-sook
From Oct. 25, more than 1,700 5-ton trucks loaded with animals, virus samples and laboratory equipment as well as office supplies will begin a major relocation of six affiliates of the Ministry of Health and Welfare to Osong in North Chungcheong Province, about 150 kilometers south of Seoul, from its current home in Bulgwang-dong, northern Seoul. The move is scheduled to be completed by Dec. 23.
The “great exodus” of the affiliates will be the largest governmental agency relocation project ever, costing 32.4 billion won in total.
About 10,000 animals kept for experimental purposes will be isolated during the trip — researchers have extracted and frozen 7,500 of their eggs in case of an accident.
“Hazardous” viruses will be kept in a special freezer and many other samples will also be frozen with liquid nitrogen. Radioactive isotopes will be tightly sealed and moved in a specially designed vehicle. Special guards armed with state-of-the-art armor will accompany the convoys.
“Everything is about safety,” said Kim Kang-lip, a ministry official in charge of the relocation. “Police, firefighters, Korea Express Corp., the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as well as the National Intelligence Service will also be supporting the project,” he said.
In order to prevent any mishaps during the G20 summit to be held in Seoul from Nov. 11 to 13, the administrators decided to move high risk materials after the event.
Administrators are expecting the relocation to be a model for others in the move to Sejong administrative city, when 35 government departments including nine ministries will relocate to the Chungcheong Provinces starting 2013.
“Cabinet members decided to benchmark our case in the relocation of other ministries in the future,” Kim said.
The relocation is expected to boost the economy in the Chungcheong region.
About 4,000 apartments and 1,000 studios are ready to accommodate staff members while KTX bullet trains will run between Seoul and Osong — KTX newly opened Osong Station to cater to the government workers.
Nurseries and other facilities will create 16,000 new jobs and an annual income of 260 billion won while having a 2.4 trillion won economic effect there.
“The relocation will bring about regional balance in the nation and will help the country become a leader in the health and medical sector,” Health Minister Chin Soo-hee said in a Cabinet meeting Tuesday.
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