Sejong Mayor Minho Choi Discusses National Funding and Key Issues with Assembly Members Junhyun Kang and Jongmin Kim

Policy Briefing with Local National Assembly Members Held in Yeouido on the 24th

Minho Choi, Mayor of Sejong, and senior officials are speaking at a policy briefing. / Photo by Planning and Coordination Office

Minho Choi, Mayor of Sejong, discussed tasks and issues related to next year's government budget with local National Assembly members Junhyun Kang and Jongmin Kim. This was aimed at securing flexible support from the central political sphere for the completion of Sejong as the administrative capital.

According to Sejong City on September 24, a policy briefing session was held in the Innovation Room of the Korea Federation of SMEs in Yeouido, Seoul, inviting local National Assembly members.

The policy briefing was attended by Mayor Minho Choi, local National Assembly members Junhyun Kang and Jongmin Kim, and senior officials. At the event, Mayor Choi requested support for the explicit designation of Sejong as the administrative capital through constitutional amendment, as well as the complete relocation of key national facilities such as the Sejong Presidential Office and the National Assembly Sejong Branch, to realize Sejong as a symbol of balanced national development.

He also stressed the need to relocate central administrative agencies to Sejong following the government reorganization. His argument was that inefficiencies caused by five ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Ministry of Justice, remaining in the Seoul metropolitan area should be eliminated, and that the integration of national administration should be enhanced through the government reorganization.

Mayor Choi emphasized that the relocation of public institutions under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries should be thoroughly reconsidered, as it violates the principles and logic of government policies on the relocation of public institutions for balanced national development. This is consistent with the arguments he has previously made.

He also shared key pending issues, such as the establishment of the First Town Interchange on the Daejeon-Dangjin Expressway and the pilot operation of the Sejong Weir.

In particular, he introduced four major projects proposed for next year's policy budget: the establishment of the Sejong District Court and Prosecutors' Office, the creation of a National Forest Recreation Area, the construction of a second Administrative Support Center, and the development of a Comprehensive Local Decentralization Town. He requested cooperation for national funding for these projects.

Furthermore, he called for the nationalization of forest resources that have been developed for more than 30 years, citing concerns about forest destruction and reckless development if the Chungnam Forest Resources Research Institute and recreation forests are privatized.

Mayor Choi also emphasized the need to improve the calculation method for general grants to reflect the unique characteristics of the region and to increase the grants, stating, "Unlike other local governments, Sejong City has special administrative demands as the administrative capital, so establishing a stable financial foundation is more important than anything else." He added, "The completion of the administrative capital and the future growth of Sejong City are closely linked to securing next year's government budget. I will work together with local National Assembly members to deliver tangible results for our citizens."

Kim Jongmin, a member of the National Assembly, is speaking at a policy briefing.

In response, Assemblyman Junhyun Kang agreed, saying, "The issues facing Sejong are not just local problems but national tasks," and pledged to provide support at the National Assembly level.

Assemblyman Jongmin Kim also promised, "I will work together with Mayor Choi and Assemblyman Kang to ensure that Sejong City establishes itself as the true administrative capital."

The city plans to use this policy briefing as an opportunity to further solidify its cooperative system with local National Assembly members and to strengthen joint responses for securing national funding and resolving key issues.