Foreign Embassies Still Unclear on Capital Relocation

Foreign embassies in Seoul are still confused about issues regarding the relocation of the administrative capital.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) recently surveyed foreign missions in Seoul on the plan for establishing a diplomatic complex inside the new administrative capital, the feasibility of moving legations to the new administrative capital, and the size of the site required for building a new Embassy complex. However, the response rate turned out to be lower than 20 percent, announced an official yesterday.

The embassies that did complete the questionnaire showed a cautious reaction, saying, “We will wait and see (to make a final decision).” This reaction revealed that the foreign missions here are still in the process of fixing their stances regarding the move of their offices.

A government official said, “The MOFAT sent questionnaires to 95 foreign missions in Seoul (87 embassies and eight international agencies) in late-June and asked them to reply by August 31. However, only 15 legations (15.8 percent) sent back their reply as of today.”

He added, “Of those who returned the questionnaire, only one mission mentioned that ‘we hope for the relocation of the legation, and the size for building should be the same as is currently in Seoul.’ But most of the replies were, ‘It is difficult to send a detailed response at this moment.’”

Embassies of the four major nations closely related to the Korean Peninsula, the United States, Japan, China, and Russia, reportedly have not returned the survey.

The reason why foreign missions here have a hard time making their position clear is that arguments regarding capital relocation are still ongoing within the nation, and moreover, they need to undergo a complicated appropriation of budget for building new office buildings.

An official of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul said, “Nothing has been decided yet, although there will be a separate legation in Seoul in principle, even if the embassy moves to the administrative capital.”

Li Lui-fung, the public affairs officer of the Chinese Embassy in Seoul also said, “We need to wait for direction from our home government and then send the reply to MOFAT regarding this matter, but I have no idea when the date will be.”

MOFAT plans to request feedback on the survey by mid-September for the second time to the foreign missions.

Hyong-gwon Pu bookum90@donga.com