Home > Opinion > Editorials

Sejong relocation pledges must go beyond symbolism

Published: 18 Apr. 2025, 00:00

Sejong City in 2021 [JOONGANG ILBO]

Lee Jae-myung, a leading presidential contender from the Democratic Party, has pledged to build a presidential office and a new National Assembly building in Sejong if elected. His proposal, announced ahead of a regional primary vote in the Chungcheong region, echoes similar pledges from rivals Kim Kyung-soo and Kim Dong-yeon. The idea of a “Sejong presidential era” appears likely to become a core part of the party’s campaign platform.

The issue is gaining renewed attention as candidates seek to distance themselves from the Yongsan presidential office, a hasty move by former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Yoon’s relocation from the Blue House to Yongsan came at a cost of more than 50 billion won and was followed by his impeachment after declaring martial law. Many now view the compound as politically toxic.

Candidates across the political spectrum are lining up to reject Yongsan. Kim Kyung-soo has called it “the stronghold of insurrection,” and Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok proposed uniting the presidential and legislative offices in Sejong as a gesture of national unity. Few, if any, are defending the status quo.

But bold promises about relocating the presidential office risk repeating history if not grounded in legal and constitutional reality. The Constitutional Court ruled in 2004 that moving the capital to Sejong would violate the “customary constitution,” which recognizes Seoul as the capital. Without an amendment to the Constitution, the government can only establish auxiliary offices or annexes.

If candidates are serious about decentralization and national balance, they should pair relocation proposals with a clear plan for constitutional reform. That includes addressing broader questions about the distribution of power and the structure of governance.

The presidential office building in Yongsan District, central Seoul on April 4. [KIM HYUN-DONG]

Otherwise, such pledges risk being little more than symbolic gestures aimed at winning votes in key regions.

The next administration would do well to address inefficiencies stemming from the current bifurcation of government offices. Senior officials still spend hours commuting between Seoul and Sejong. A long-term national development strategy, not electoral convenience, should guide decisions about administrative relocation.

The Blue House [JOONGANG PHOTO]

Relocation, if approached with care and legitimacy, can be a meaningful step toward rebalancing national development. But voters deserve more than recycled promises. They deserve a vision backed by legal groundwork and political will.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.