Yeouido Second Sejong Center Clears Audit Hurdle, Design Competition Begins

Board of Audit and Inspection Finds "No Legal or Procedural Flaws"
Final Design Candidate to Be Selected from Five Contenders Early Next Month
Detailed Design Phase Set for November... Construction to Begin December 2026

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is set to begin the final design phase for the Second Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, which is planned to be built in Yeouido. Following the completion of a feasibility study and approval from the central government investment review, the project has gained further momentum after being cleared of allegations regarding illegal changes to the designated construction site. As early as 2030, a large performance hall with a capacity of 2,000 seats will be established in Yeouido Park.

According to the maintenance industry on July 31, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will launch a design competition for the Second Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in early August.

A bird's-eye view of the 2nd Sejong Center for the Performing Arts project promoted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Seoul Metropolitan Government

The Second Sejong Center for the Performing Arts is part of the 'Great Hangang' project announced by Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon in 2023. With a project budget of 600 billion won, the plan is to build a 2,000-seat large performance hall and an 800-seat medium-sized theater on a total site of 229,539 square meters in Yeouido Park, near Mapo Bridge.

The project has demonstrated its viability. Not only has a feasibility study on the project and its location been completed, but a strategic environmental impact assessment analyzing the environmental effects of the development plan is also nearing completion. Although the project was initially halted during the central government investment review, it passed upon re-examination. For new investment projects with a total budget of over 30 billion won, the government requires a central investment review to prevent redundant investments. Based on this, last month the Seoul Metropolitan Government reported the 'Public Property Management Plan,' which contains detailed plans, to the Seoul Metropolitan Council.

The biggest obstacle, an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection, was recently concluded with the finding that there were "no legal or procedural flaws." The project was originally planned for Mullae-dong in Yeongdeungpo-gu, but Mayor Oh changed the site to Yeouido Park. The National Assembly claimed that the site was changed unilaterally and passed a request for an audit on the site change during the Public Administration and Security Committee's parliamentary inspection. At the time, Mayor Oh protested, stating, "A National Assembly member from Yeongdeungpo led a retaliatory audit request simply because the project was moved out of their constituency."

However, last week the Board of Audit and Inspection announced, "Even if the Seoul Mayor pledged during the election to build the facility in Mullae-dong, it is difficult to recognize a legal obligation to be bound by this after being elected and to handle administrative tasks accordingly." The Board concluded that it is difficult to determine that the site was changed in a hasty or inappropriate manner.

Accordingly, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to select a final design from among five works chosen through a planning and design competition held in 2023 and begin the design process. The current candidates include: Park Hyungil (BAUM Architects), Oh Hogun (Designcamp Moonpark DMP), Jung Youngkyun (Heerim Architects & Planners), Patrik Schumacher (Zaha Hadid Architects), and Jean Pierre Durig (DURIG AG).

After the review, the designated competition is expected to conclude around November, after which the detailed design phase will begin. During this process, the city plans to gather input from various experts and the public. Construction is scheduled to begin in December 2026, with completion targeted for December 2029.