The New York Consulate General officially announced on the 2nd that it will relocate its Manhattan mission and begin operations in the new mission building in January of next year.
In a press release released on the same day, the Consulate General stated, “We are relocating our Manhattan mission to provide a better civil service environment for our Korean residents.” They added, “The relocation will take place from mid to late December, and operations will begin in the new location in January of next year.”
The Consulate General also cautioned that the Civil Service Office will be temporarily closed from the 26th to the 31st due to the relocation.
The new embassy will be in a building (445 Park Ave) diagonally across Park Avenue from the current embassy building (460 Park Ave). The consulate general will occupy part of the first floor and the entire second floor of the new building. Some space on the third and fifth floors will also be used for meetings and other business purposes. The public service offices, which are most frequently used by Korean residents, will be located on the first and second floors.
The first floor will provide public service for individuals with disabilities, seniors, and other mobility challenges.
Acting Consul General Lee Sang-ho of New York stated, “Unlike the current embassy’s public service office, which was located on the sixth floor, making it difficult for residents to access, the new office will be located on the first and second floors of the building, significantly improving accessibility for Korean residents.”
He added, “We will do our best to provide more convenient and prompt public service.”
The consulate general advised, “Depending on changes in previous schedules or on-site circumstances, some civil affairs may be difficult to process for a day before or after the temporary suspension of civil affairs office operations. We recommend that important civil affairs be processed in person before Christmas or after January 5th of next year.”
Meanwhile, the New York Consulate General has been preparing for relocation since last year, as the Korea International Trade Association building it currently occupies is scheduled for large-scale remodelling starting next year. The new building will be used temporarily until the Korean government’s plan to build a separate building for the New York Consulate General is completed.