As the government said it would transfer central administrative agencies in the capital area to Sejong and more than 350 public institutions to innovation cities nationwide, it was confirmed on the 4th that related funding in the next year's budget bill already reflects more than 340 billion won. A substantial portion of this funding was placed in the "Future Response Fund," which has been criticized for weak parliamentary oversight.
Earlier, on the 2nd, the government said it would begin the Sejong transfer of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family in the first half of next year, and that the Prosecution Service and the Korean National Police Agency would transfer after new office buildings are constructed. It also plans to finalize the targets and regions for the transfer of public institutions within the year.
According to a compilation of ChosunBiz reporting, the government has allocated a total of 270.7 billion won to the Future Response Fund for rent, moving costs, and employee allowances associated with agency transfer. Of that, 181 billion won is budgeted under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for the second-phase transfer of public institutions, and 89.7 billion won is budgeted under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety for ministry transfers. An official at the Ministry of Planning and Budget said, "Because the transfer plan has not yet been finalized, we drew it up roughly without detailed line items." As the plan is not finalized, it was first reflected in the flexible form of a fund.
Although the total size of the Future Response Fund reaches 162.3 trillion won, after it is approved by the National Assembly, the government can change up to 30% of project expenditures on its own without a parliamentary vote. Because a self-review body chaired by the Minister of Planning and Budget handles deliberation and settlement of account, it has been criticized for weak parliamentary oversight.
Next year's budget to construct new office buildings in Sejong City was separately allocated to the Multi-Functional Administrative City Construction Special Account under the National Agency for Administrative City Construction, not to the Future Response Fund. A total of 72.831 billion won was reflected, including 28.6 billion won for the new Government Sejong Complex, 12.3 billion won for the Sejong Korean National Police Agency building, 26.119 billion won for the Sejong Police Special Operations Unit building, and 5.812 billion won for the Sejong District Court. An official at the Ministry of Planning and Budget said, "Because the agencies subject to transfer have not yet been finalized, only budgets at the master plan and design level were reflected for next year."
All told, that comes to 343.5 billion won. However, detailed policies such as incentives for employees subject to transfer and support for settlement conditions including education and medical services have only had their direction outlined. Accordingly, within the government, there are also projections that the actual required amount could increase further depending on how much the transfer targets and support measures take shape in the fourth quarter.