A rendering of the winning design in the architectural competition for the Sejong presidential office / Courtesy of Korean Institute of Architects
For more than two decades, the Korean government has tried, in fits and starts, to move its center of political power away from Seoul. The effort has produced a new administrative city and dozens of relocated government ministries, but the president has never had a real foothold with them down south. President Lee Jae Myung wants to change that and, on Tuesday, he gave his clearest signal yet that he intends to get it built before his term ends.
Speaking at a Cabinet meeting held at Government Complex Sejong, Lee called for ministers to make an all-out push to complete a new presidential office in the city, saying he wants to hold his administration's final Cabinet meeting there.
"Accelerate the construction of the presidential office in Sejong and the Sejong branch of the National Assembly and make sure that related infrastructure projects proceed without disruption," he said, describing Sejong as a city that must become a firmly established center of national governance to support balanced regional development.
The remarks were the latest and most concrete reaffirmation of his campaign pledge that has become central to his regional development agenda, even as questions linger over whether the plan amounts to a full relocation of the presidential office or the establishment of a second workplace alongside Seoul.
