President Lee Jae-myung announced Tuesday that he will establish a presidential office in Sejong Special Self-Governing City during his term [1, 2].
The move represents a symbolic shift in the distribution of executive power away from the capital. By relocating a portion of presidential operations, the administration seeks to address long-standing disparities in regional development across South Korea.
During a cabinet meeting held on the 11th [2], Lee said a concerted effort is needed to realize this goal. The session marked the fourth cabinet meeting conducted in Sejong under the current administration [1].
"I urge you to spare no effort to open the era of the presidential Sejong office during our government's term and to hold the final Cabinet meeting of our term at the Sejong office," Lee said [2].
The president said that the initiative is designed to promote balanced regional development. By establishing a permanent presence in Sejong, the government intends to better integrate the executive branch with the administrative functions already located in the city.
Lee said the government must dedicate its full strength to opening the era of the Sejong office within his term [1]. The plan involves not only the physical infrastructure of an office, but also the operational shift of key decision-making processes to the region.
“"I urge you to spare no effort to open the era of the presidential Sejong office during our government's term"”
The push for a presidential office in Sejong is part of a broader, decades-long effort to decentralize South Korea's administrative and economic power, which remains heavily concentrated in Seoul. By committing to hold his final cabinet meeting there, President Lee is attempting to institutionalize the city's role as a legitimate administrative capital, potentially reducing the urban congestion of the Seoul metropolitan area and stimulating growth in the central provinces.
