The government has officially announced that the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) in Yongsan will move to the site of the Capital Defense Command in Namtaeryeong.

Defense minister Lee Jong-sup unveiled the plan before the National Assembly’s defense committee on Tuesday, saying the government will construct a new building at the site of the Capital Defense Command to house the JCS office.

The minister said between 200 and 300 billion won is expected to be required for the construction and moving effort.

Lee’s comments followed a defense ministry report submitted to the committee outlining its mid- and long-term plan to integrate the ministry and the JCS office.

Under the plan, the government will launch consultations on related pilot studies and feasibility studies this year with the aim of completing the construction of the new JCS office by 2026.

The envisioned office is set to integrate some seven departments of the defense ministry that have been dispersed following the relocation of the presidential office to the defense ministry headquarters.