South Korean presidential frontrunner Lee Jae-myung has pledged to relocate the presidential office, legislature, and numerous public institutions to Sejong, a planned city about 100km south of Seoul, if he is elected. Lee stated, “I will make Sejong the de facto administrative capital and Daejeon a global science capital… I will also push for the complete relocation of the National Assembly and presidential office to Sejong through social consensus.”
Sejong, conceived in 2003 by late President Roh Moo-hyun, was intended to reduce congestion in Seoul and promote development in the central region. Although the Constitutional Court ruled in 2004 that Seoul must remain the capital, Lee’s proposal has sparked tentative signs of growth in Sejong, with real estate transactions increasing threefold in April compared to the same period last year.
However, concerns about Sejong’s long-term sustainability persist, given its history of boom-and-bust cycles tied to changing government policies. According to Moon Yoon-sang, a research fellow at the Korea Development Institute, “If the centre of the government moves to Sejong, it’s the hope that conventions and important meetings will happen there instead of in Seoul.”
Park Jin, a professor at KDI’s School of Public Policy and Management, supports Sejong becoming the official capital, citing the need to develop other major cities outside Seoul. “As all of the country’s talent pool and key infrastructure are staying within Seoul, the country needs to invest in developing our other major cities,” Park said.
Sejong aims to reach 800,000 residents by 2040, double its current population. However, attracting young people remains a challenge, with many citing limited job opportunities and infrastructure. Kevin Kim, a civil servant, travels to Seoul frequently to visit family and friends, while Lee Ho-baek, a start-up worker, questions Sejong’s appeal due to limited infrastructure and activities.
Despite these challenges, experts believe that relocating the capital could drive real change in Sejong’s development. As Park noted, “Developing a city from scratch is not a short-term project… but with the relocation of the capital, we can expect some real changes to happen.”