1. With regard to the location of the Overseas Koreans Agency to be established on June 5 pursuant to the Government Organization Act, of which a revision was promulgated on March 4, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to base the Agency in Incheon, with a “service and support center for overseas Koreans” in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, to offer relevant administrative services to overseas Koreans in an integrated manner. 

2. The Foreign Ministry and the People Power Party held three joint meetings for in-depth discussions on the location of the Agency. They selected Seoul and Incheon as the most optimal candidate cities for the Agency -- as they are preferred by overseas Koreans -- after reviewing the candidates in terms of convenience and accessibility, service efficiency, balanced regional development, consistency of administrative organization, and the symbolic significance of the location. 

3. As the result of the discussions, the government has decided to base the Agency in Incheon in consideration of convenience and accessibility, balanced regional development, and consistency of administrative organization. For service efficiency for overseas Koreans, service recipients, the “service and support center for overseas Koreans” will be set up in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, providing a range of one-stop integrated administrative services, including those related to visas, military service, taxes, veterans affairs, and pensions.

4. Despite the strong aspiration of overseas Korean communities for an establishment that draws up and implements policies and projects regarding some 7.5 million overseas Koreans, it never materialized. President Yoon Suk Yeol, as a candidate for the post, pledged to launch an agency for overseas Koreans. Accordingly, following its inauguration, the new government selected the establishment of the agency as one of its policy objectives, moving relevant work fast forward. In addition, the Basic Act on Overseas Koreans, which stipulates the basic goals and direction of policies regarding overseas Koreans, was passed at the National Assembly on April 27, laying legal grounds for enhancing relevant policies in a more effective way.

5. The Foreign Ministry, in close consultation with relevant government agencies such as the Incheon Metropolitan City government and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, will start the work to select the specific site of the Overseas Koreans Agency and to build necessary infrastructure, doing its utmost for the Agency to be launched on June 5 as planned.