Voicing Support for Second Round of Public Institution Relocations... Byungtae Yoon, Mayor of Naju, Elected President of National Innovation City Council

Representative of 11 National Innovation Cities
One-Year Term as 19th President

Byungtae Yoon, Mayor of Naju, has been elected as the 19th president of the National Innovation City Council, representing the 11 member cities nationwide. He will now lead the member cities’ efforts on shared issues, including the government-led second round of public institution relocations to local areas, improvement of residential environments in innovation cities, and institutional reforms.

According to Naju City on September 16, Mayor Yoon was elected as the 19th president at the “2026 National Innovation City (District) Council Regular Meeting” held that day at the Maengdong Healing Forest in Eumseong County, North Chungcheong Province. Daegu Dong-gu and Jinju City in South Gyeongsang Province were each elected as vice-presidential cities. The term of the 19th executive board is one year, with the possibility of one consecutive reappointment.

At the 2026 Regular Meeting of the National Innovation City (District) Council, Mayor Byungtae Yoon was elected as the 19th term president. Photo provided by Naju City

Going forward, Mayor Yoon will act as a central figure, coordinating the common agenda of member cities and conveying regional voices to the government and the National Assembly.

The most pressing agenda is the second round of public institution relocations to local areas.

Mayor Yoon plans to lead a joint response to ensure that the shared priorities of member cities—such as the prompt promotion of the second phase of public institution relocations, the expansion of government support to improve residential conditions in innovation cities, the establishment of innovation city development support agencies, and institutional reforms to revitalize cluster lands—are reflected in government policies, legislation, and budgets.

Mayor Yoon stated, “I feel a heavy responsibility to lead a new leap for the nation’s innovation cities and the shared development of the 11 member cities. I will unite the voices of our cities so that the joint priorities, including the second round of public institution relocations, will result in practical outcomes, not just declarations. I will actively propose those issues to the government and the National Assembly and respond responsibly until they are reflected in policies, legislation, and budgets.”

A joint statement welcoming the government’s policy for the second round of public institution relocations to local areas was also announced at the meeting.

The council expressed its support for the government's “Principles for Relocation of Public Institutions in the Seoul Metropolitan Area” and “Policy direction for concentration around existing innovation cities,” announced on September 3.

The council believes that centrally locating organizations with related functions in existing innovation cities will help establish these cities as hubs for balanced national development and serve as a catalyst to strengthen foundations for region-led innovative growth.

However, the council urged the government to swiftly finalize specific plans and roadmaps for the second round of public institution relocations and to move forward with rapid implementation.

The member cities also agreed to continue joint action until the government’s policy leads to the actual relocation and arrangement of public institutions, and they adopted a joint proposal to the government.

The joint proposal includes: ▲ prompt promotion of the second round of innovation city public institution relocations ▲ establishment of an innovation city development support agency ▲ increased national funding to improve residential conditions ▲ institutional reforms to revitalize cluster lands—a total of four core priorities.

The council agreed that these tasks are essential for boosting the self-reliance of innovation cities following additional public institution relocations and for fostering an innovative ecosystem in which businesses, universities, and research institutes grow together.

As president, Mayor Yoon plans to strengthen cooperation among the member cities and ensure that the four key joint proposals are reflected in government policies and National Assembly discussions.

The National Innovation City Council is a consultative body composed of 11 local governments across the country where innovation cities have been established.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.