PPP leader promises to shift Seoul's National Assembly to Sejong City

General election 2024

Published: 27 Mar. 2024, 11:02 Updated: 27 Mar. 2024, 18:11

PPP leader promises to shift Seoul's National Assembly to Sejong City

The conservative People Power Party (PPP) interim leader Han Dong-hoon speaks at a press conference held at the party's headquarters located in Yeouido, western Seoul on Wednesday. [NEWS1]

Han Dong-hoon, interim leader of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), made a campaign pledge on Wednesday to relocate the Seoul-based National Assembly to Sejong City.

"Through the National Assembly’s move away from Seoul, [the authorities] will lift restrictions imposed on the land and propel urban development in the capital," Han said during a press conference held at the party's headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul, on the same day.

"The complete move from Yeouido will end the era of so-called 'Yeouido-politics,'" Han said. Yeouido is the current location of the National Assembly and the country’s most notable financial district with dozens of investment banks.

"The PPP will move the entire National Assembly to Sejong and revamp it as a center of politics and administrative affairs," Han said. "The move to Sejong will solve inefficiencies in administrative work, foster balanced regional development and vitalize regional economies as well.”

Sejong, a self-governing city and de facto administrative capital, is located between Cheongju, North Chungcheong and Gongju, South Chungcheong. It is home to governmental ministries, including the Health Ministry, Interior Ministry, Labor Ministry and other governmental agencies.

He said that he envisions that Sejong "will serve as the backbone and capital of national politics and administrative functions like Washington, D.C. in the United States."

Han pitched his ambition to elevate Yeouido’s status as a global financial hub that can “stand shoulder to shoulder with London, Singapore and Hong Kong.”

"The party also promises to refurbish the land and building occupied by the National Assembly as a cultural and financial space that will be opened to the public,” Han said, adding that it would be equipped with a concert hall, educational facilities and fitness amenities.

“Centering on the voices of Seoulites, the site of the National Assembly will be reborn into the city’s new landmark through coordination with the city government.”

Han said that relocating the parliament would help to spur urban development around the Yeouido areas by easing restrictions.

“The parliamentary relocation will mark the beginning of the city development and new political era,” he said. “The party will proactively relax unnecessary regulations in other adjacent areas — Mapo, Yeongdeungpo, Dongjak, Yangcheon and Yongsan."

“The western part of Yeouido — where the National Assembly is housed — has been under a height limitation of 75 meters (246 feet) for half a century,” Han said. “Such measures have been backed by lawmakers who wanted to preserve the National Assembly's landscape. By freeing up the area from the authoritative restrictions, it will have financial infrastructure through development projects.”

Han said that Sejong has plenty of land and growth potential to accommodate the new National Assembly.

According to Han, the lot for the new National Assembly in Sejong is prepared and construction can be completed by 2031, as originally scheduled by the National Assembly on Oct. 6.

BY IM SOUNG-BIN, LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]