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Kim Kyung-hyup, head of the Abroad Koreans Company, speaks throughout a coverage briefing at Authorities Complicated Seoul, Dec. 19, 2025. Yonhap
The Abroad Koreans Company (OKA) is embroiled in a dispute with Incheon Metropolitan Metropolis after its chief raised the potential of shifting the company’s headquarters to Seoul, citing logistical hurdles in offering companies from its present base in Incheon, situated west of the capital.
Following fierce backlash from Incheon officers, the company has stepped again from formally pursuing the relocation. Officers say, nonetheless, that they could convey it up once more if Incheon fails to offer enough logistical and institutional assist.
“For now, we now have briefly suspended the assessment of a relocation plan, however solely on the situation that Incheon comes up with concrete enchancment measures,” an company official advised The Korea Instances on Tuesday.
The official added that the company has proposed conducting a joint survey of abroad Koreans with the Incheon metropolis authorities, by means of a reputable polling agency, to evaluate whether or not they’re glad with the company’s present location.
“We perceive that comparable surveys had been carried out earlier than Incheon was chosen,” the official stated. “However now that the company has really been working right here for a number of years, we predict it is very important reassess the general scenario.”
OKA was launched in June 2023 in response to rising requires a devoted authorities physique to assist the estimated 7 million Koreans residing overseas. Seoul, Incheon and Jeju Island have been among the many candidate websites to host the group.
Incheon, residence to the nation’s major worldwide airport, was finally chosen. The company’s headquarters, the place 127 workers work, is at present housed within the privately owned Booyoung Tower within the Songdo space. A further 24 staffers are based mostly at a service assist middle close to Gwanghwamun in central Seoul.
The relocation controversy stems from remarks made earlier this month by company chief Kim Kyung-hyup in a media interview, by which he stated the company was contemplating shifting its headquarters to the capital.
Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok attends a gathering with authorities officers at Authorities Complicated Seoul, Dec. 2, 2025. Yonhap
Kim cited rising rental prices and the necessity for higher administrative effectivity, given the company’s frequent coordination with the Ministry of Overseas Affairs, which is situated close to Gwanghwamun.
The company argued that the gap from the capital has created difficulties for abroad Koreans who journey to Korea to deal with administrative issues similar to apostille issuance and visa-related procedures.
Information cited by the company factors to a pointy distinction between customer site visitors at its two service amenities.
Officers estimate that about 500 folks go to its Gwanghwamun middle every day. In distinction, the service middle on the Incheon headquarters has drawn far fewer guests. Between September 2023 and November 2025, it recorded a median of about 42 guests a month.
Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok instantly pushed again towards the suggestion.
“Bringing the Abroad Koreans Company to Incheon was an amazing victory achieved along with Incheon residents, and a supply of pleasure for town,” Yoo wrote in a Fb publish on Friday.
The mayor additional argued that Kim’s remarks amounted to a “political maneuver” towards him forward of the June 3 native elections. Yoo, a member of the primary opposition Folks Energy Occasion, is extensively anticipated to run for reelection.
Company officers rejected his declare that the difficulty was political, saying it was pushed by sensible causes.
Incheon Metropolitan Metropolis declined to touch upon the difficulty, saying the mayor’s Fb publish mirrored town’s place.
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