Request for Construction of Presidential Office and National Assembly Building in Sejong
Relocation of Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Undermines Administrative Capital Functions
Local Community Voices Concerns over Lack of Legal Basis
President Lee Jae Myung and the heads of 17 metropolitan local governments nationwide are taking a commemorative photo after a meeting on the 1st. Photo by Yonhap News
Choi Minho, the Mayor of Sejong City, requested President Lee Jaemyung to expedite the construction of the Presidential Office in Sejong and the National Assembly Sejong Building, emphasizing that these are core pillars for balanced national development and essential to establishing Sejong as the administrative capital that will shape the next century of South Korea.
He also called for comprehensive measures to address the weakening of administrative capital functions and economic losses resulting from the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan, an issue that has become a hot topic in the local community.
On August 1, Mayor Choi attended a meeting of city and provincial governors at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul, together with President Lee Jaemyung, the governors of all 17 cities and provinces, Prime Minister Kim Minseok, Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Hojung, and Chairman of the Local Era Committee Kim Kyungsoo. This was the first such meeting since President Lee took office.
During the meeting, participants shared government issues such as comprehensive measures for responding to natural disasters and the livelihood consumption coupon program, and engaged in open discussions on their respective local agendas. In the free discussion session, Mayor Choi expressed his gratitude to President Lee for selecting the completion of the administrative capital as the sixth of his top ten campaign pledges during the 23rd presidential election. He stressed that Sejong City, which was originally designed as the administrative capital, has not been able to fulfill its mission for more than 20 years due to administrative bifurcation and the erosion of its symbolic status. He requested a concrete roadmap for the Presidential Office in Sejong and the National Assembly Sejong Building.
He proposed, "As this is a presidential pledge and a matter of strengthening national competitiveness, I ask that you personally present the public with practical and specific plans regarding the scale and timeline for relocating the Presidential Office and the National Assembly Sejong Building." He added, "While I fully agree on the importance of developing the Arctic route, the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan is a measure that conflicts with the pledge to complete the administrative capital."
In the past, the relocation of central government ministries to Sejong was pursued long-term based on the Special Act on the Construction of the Multifunctional Administrative City, but the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan is being carried out solely by presidential directive without legal grounds. He expressed concern that if other ministries are relocated in this manner in the future, the completion of the administrative capital may become unattainable.
Mayor Choi stated, "Citizens are greatly concerned about the weakening of the administrative capital's functions and the economic losses to local businesses resulting from the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan." He requested the establishment of comprehensive measures, including the additional relocation of ministries that have not yet moved. He further emphasized, "The President must announce a concrete and visible roadmap for the completion of Sejong City, the symbolic city of local autonomy, as soon as possible."
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