Yeonsu-gu residents launch campaign against relocation of Overseas Koreans Agency

Residents and local government officials in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, have launched a large-scale signature campaign to prevent the relocation of the Overseas Koreans Agency to Sejong. The agency, which opened in Songdo International City in June 2023 following a massive local campaign involving over 71,000 signatures, is now facing a potential move just three years after its establishment.

Local civic groups, including the Resident Autonomy Council and the Saemaul Undong, met with Yeonsu-gu Mayor Lee Jae-ho to coordinate a collective response. The movement aims to convey the community's opposition to the central government, which residents claim has not engaged in prior consultation regarding the relocation plan.

In addition to opposing the agency's move, the campaign is expanding to demand the establishment of a new Songdo Police Station. Local leaders noted that the current police-to-population ratio in Yeonsu-gu is approximately 800 residents per officer, more than double the national average of 380, raising concerns over public safety and security gaps in the rapidly growing Songdo area.