President Lee Jae-myung vows to relocate the presidency to Sejong. But should he?
Published: 10 Jun. 2025, 07:00
Updated: 10 Jun. 2025, 09:04
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- LEE SOO-JUNG
- [email protected]
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![President Lee Jae-myung, left, then the Democratic Party presidential candidate, holds a placard calling to "complete" Sejong's creation as an administrative capital with former Rep. Lee Hae-chan during his campaign in the city last month. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/10/28030c89-8567-49e1-a701-f24afad7b9df.jpg)
President Lee Jae-myung, left, then the Democratic Party presidential candidate, holds a placard calling to "complete" Sejong's creation as an administrative capital with former Rep. Lee Hae-chan during his campaign in the city last month. [NEWS1]
“We should create a balanced society by relocating the presidential office to Sejong,” Lee said during his presidential campaign last month. His remarks hinted that Seoul might lose some of its status as the nation’s longstanding political hub and national capital, while opening a long-awaited "Sejong era."
Sejong, located about 150 kilometers (92 miles) southeast of Seoul, is a planned city with dozens of state administrative agencies. It was established to promote balanced regional development nationwide and solve Seoul's overconcentration of resources and people.
Relocation to Sejong began in the early 2010s. It has grown into a mid-sized city with around 390,000 residents. But many more people commute to and from the city for work.
The Sejong government complex currently houses the Prime Minister’s Office and nearly all central government ministries — except for the Seoul-based defense, foreign affairs, unification, justice and gender ministries.
The presidential office, the apex of executive power, still sits in Seoul, although its location has changed from the Blue House in Gwanghwamun to Yongsan. Though he started work at the Yongsan presidential office, a symbol of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, Lee indicated that he would eventually return to the Blue House. However, there is interest in whether he will keep his pledge to make Sejong the administrative capital within his five-year term.
Despite Lee’s blueprint to transform Sejong into the new hub of state governance, the city needs better connectivity with other regions to fully function as the center of Korean state affairs, experts say.
Can Korea even move the capital?
![People walk toward the government complex building in Sejong in September 2022. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/10/18ff82ef-f529-4385-9af3-e87f921caf69.jpg)
People walk toward the government complex building in Sejong in September 2022. [YONHAP]
In January 2004, late President Roh Moo-hyun envisioned a “new administrative capital” by moving all administrative agencies to Sejong.
However, the Constitutional Court ruled that Roh’s drive was “unconstitutional,” forcing the presidential office to remain in Seoul. The court said the special bill to build a new administrative capital by relocating “pivotal” political and administrative agencies was equivalent to a capital relocation.
Although the Korean Constitution does not explicitly define Seoul as the capital, a panel of Constitutional Court justices ruled that it was an “evident and legally binding norm that Seoul was the capital. “The fact that Seoul is the capital is a self-evident fact that has been firmly established and is recognized by all citizens as a binding legal norm per the Constitution," the court said.
Prof. Park Jong-hyok from Hankyong National University's Graduate School of Public Policy said that relocating the capital would be impossible unless the 2004 verdict is overturned, adding that a new ruling should precede the designation of Sejong as a new administrative capital.
![The Blue House, the former presidential office complex, in Jongno District, central Seoul, on June 3 [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/10/de32fc66-ac2c-456f-854d-88621bc83e37.jpg)
The Blue House, the former presidential office complex, in Jongno District, central Seoul, on June 3 [NEWS1]
Prof. Park said the previous Constitutional Court ruling could be altered “as the times have changed.” He noted that the reasoning behind “customary norms" in the last ruling was unsubstantiated.
“Constitutional Court justices could mandate the legislation of statutory clauses that define the national capital,” Park said. “The Sejong city government can submit a constitutional appeal to seek a new ruling.”
If the capital relocation were to happen, Sejong would likely become the center of legislative and administrative affairs.
![Information about Sejong city [YUN YOUNG]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/10/31763fae-5aeb-4f60-90c1-374ccdbd6bfd.jpg)
Information about Sejong city [YUN YOUNG]
Currently, both the presidential office and the National Assembly are in downtown Seoul.
Chungnam National University's Prof. Park said that public servants have "experienced difficulty in conducting their duties efficiently” as they had to report their undertakings to the presidential office and the parliament in Seoul.
Who is coming to Sejong?
![Public servants head to the government complex in Sejong in April 2018. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/10/dc0f2c07-1281-4812-b044-ab90ce53b886.jpg)
Public servants head to the government complex in Sejong in April 2018. [NEWS1]
Rep. Lee said the parliamentary establishment in Sejong was to complete Sejong's role as a "de facto administrative capital" and to promote regional balance.
The central government acquired a 631,000-square-meter (155-acre) plot of land for the parliament construction in Sejong for 667.6 billion won ($493 million), according to the Sejong city government.
Of 17 parliamentary standing committees, 11 are scheduled to relocate to the Sejong parliament, as are the offices of the lawmakers who belong to the committees. However, the 2021 bill still leaves the judiciary committee, foreign affairs committee, defense committee and plenary hall in Seoul, rendering the Sejong parliament a branch institution.
![The roof of the Sejong Government Complex is seen in a photo taken in May 2019. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/10/2d5a5489-5b8d-4e9c-988b-bc6817155136.jpg)
The roof of the Sejong Government Complex is seen in a photo taken in May 2019. [NEWS1]
Regarding the presidential office, Lee said Sejong is the “final destination in the long term.” Lee is reportedly planning to move into the Blue House in Jongno District in central Seoul after a renovation.
The Blue House served as the presidential office until the end of the Moon Jae-in administration in 2022. It was later opened to the public by ousted President Yoon in the same year. Yoon moved out of the Blue House and commenced his presidential duties at a new office in Yongsan District, central Seoul, which Lee is using now.
Better connectivity needed
![Buses for public servants commuting to Sejong are parked in the city in an undated photo. [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/10/f8abd59e-fca2-4b34-aa97-40a94035d361.jpg)
Buses for public servants commuting to Sejong are parked in the city in an undated photo. [JOONGANG ILBO]
While high-speed trains KTX and SRT run to the Korean Peninsula's southernmost cities, they do not stop in Sejong. Although the city's authorities and residents requested high-speed train service, the central government rejected the requests, citing the “lack of economic benefits.”
The only transportation directly connecting Seoul and Sejong is express bus service, which typically takes around 2.5 hours per one-way ride.
The KTX and SRT stop at nearby Osong Station in Cheongju, about an hour from Seoul. Yet it still requires those heading to Sejong to ride intercity buses or taxis from the station for another 30 to 40 minutes.
Prof. Oh Zi-an from Hanyang University's Graduate School of Public Policy said that transferring at Osong Station often makes visitors and herself feel “fatigued.”
“A capital relocation without enhancing accessibility to Sejong would result in immense administrative costs [spent on roads for travel],” Oh said, adding that she frequently saw public servants working on their laptops at Osong Station.
“In the current system, those traveling from Gangwon to Sejong by train must transfer in Seoul,” Prof. Park Jong-hyok said. “To make Sejong grow, authorities should make it so that travel time from any part of the country takes around an hour.”
Sejong era's potential
![A view of high-rise apartment buildings in Sejong city on April 25 [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/10/3ecefded-652d-4f65-94d8-598ce3bbf1de.jpg)
A view of high-rise apartment buildings in Sejong city on April 25 [YONHAP]
Prof. Park Jong-hyok noted that the city should position itself as an “economic and administrative” hub instead of encouraging people to settle there.
The city’s population has remained stagnant in recent years, demonstrating little growth.
In 2012, the city’s population stood at 115,388. It grew drastically during its initial years and reached 310,000 by 2018 — a nearly three-fold increase. The figure surpassed the 360,000-mark in 2020. Over the last four years, around 3,600 residents were added.
Now, the Sejong city government aims to have 785,000 residents by 2040.
Likewise, apartment prices in Sejong soared in recent weeks due to discussions over the relocation of the administrative capital during the presidential election, though such expectations have dampened since. The sales prices of apartments in Sejong have risen for seven consecutive weeks. However, the price increase started to weaken from the third week of last month, given that the capital relocation is unlikely to happen soon.
“Sejong city should encourage visitors from other regions to engage in economic activities while in the city,” Hankyong National University's Park said. “Permanent settlement in Sejong would make other localities lose people in an era when the population is declining.”
Prof. Oh said it is clear that the city would experience "profound growth" once the presidential office and parliament relocate. However, she stressed that improving traffic infrastructure and equipping the city with amenities for public conveniences should come together to enhance administrative efficiency.
Prof. Park Jae-hee said that the new government needs to strengthen Sejong’s identity to ensure it functions as a “center of Korean politics, diplomacy, education and culture.”
BY LEE SOO-JUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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