The second stage of the relocation of government ministries to Sejong City will begin on Friday. According to the plans announced by the Prime Minister’s Office, six ministries and 10 subsidiary organizations will be relocated to Sejong City between Dec. 13 and Dec. 29, taking nearly 4,900 civil servants with them.

The move will kick off on Friday with the Ministry of Health and Welfare; Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; and the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, which plan to complete the relocation of their operations by Dec. 26.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy; the Ministry of Employment and Labor; and the Ministry of Education will also be making the move to the administrative hub 150 kilometers south of Seoul.

According to government agencies overseeing the move, the second stage of the government complex in Sejong City was completed last month. The new facilities have been built with additional features, including more parking space and day care centers, the government said.

In addition, plans showed that Sejong City’s infrastructure will be expanded. Under the plans, the city’s bus routes will be increased to 47 from the current 37, while 11 new elementary, middle and high schools will be opened by March 2014.

In addition to the four ministries that relocated last year, 10 of the 17 government ministries will be located in the country’s administrative hub by the end of the year.

The ministries that moved to the administrative hub last year are the Ministry of Strategy and Finance; Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; Ministry of Environment; and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. In addition, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Fair Trade Commission were relocated in the first stage.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)