An aerial view of Sejong Authorities Complicated / Korea Occasions file
As President Yoon Suk Yeol’s ongoing impeachment trial raises the potential of an early presidential election, the controversy has reignited over relocating the presidential workplace and residence to Sejong. This has sparked discussions on whether or not the town can absolutely notice its unique goal of changing into Korea’s administrative capital.
In contrast to earlier debates, the proposal to relocate the presidential workplace and the Nationwide Meeting to Sejong is changing into more and more persuasive, given the present political local weather.
Calls are rising stronger for Sejong’s official recognition as Korea’s administrative capital with the relocation of the presidential workplace following the unprecedented arrest of the sitting president. The Sejong Metropolis Act accommodates solely the laws essential for the town’s institution however doesn’t grant it the standing of the nation’s administrative capital.
Sejong has emerged as a viable different to the previous presidential workplace, Cheong Wa Dae, and the present workplace, each in central Seoul.
The concept of relocating the presidential workplace again to Cheong Wa Dae raises issues for some, given its transformation right into a cultural and historic web site absolutely open to the general public. On the identical time, public mistrust towards the Yongsan workplace stays sturdy, particularly after Yoon’s martial legislation imposition on Dec. 3.
As debates resurface on the impracticality of returning to Cheong Wa Dae and the inefficacy of the present Yongsan workplace, civic organizations say that an early presidential election could be the proper alternative for Sejong to meet its unique imaginative and prescient as an administrative capital, a imaginative and prescient conceived within the early 2000s, with the relocation of the presidential workplace to the town.
Coinciding with these debates, development of a second presidential workplace in Sejong is already underway, with completion slated for 2027. This undertaking was a key a part of Yoon’s pledges. The Nationwide Company for Administrative Metropolis Development, which oversees development tasks in Sejong, confirmed the plan in its annual report on Jan. 21.
The second workplace will embrace workspaces for the president, safety amenities and places of work for Cupboard employees. The design additionally permits for an entire relocation sooner or later, if essential. The company introduced it’s working with the Nationwide Meeting to expedite the development of the Meeting’s Sejong department.
In line with the company’s plan, each the second presidential workplace and the Sejong Nationwide Meeting constructing will probably be constructed as a part of a district inside Sejong that can function an space akin to the Nationwide Mall in the USA, a park in downtown Washington surrounded by plenty of cultural and historic landmarks.
The present presidential workplace in Yongsan, Seoul / Yonhap
Jang Jae-min, consultant director of the Korea Institute for City Coverage, attributes the rising public mistrust within the Yongsan workplace to the impeachment trial, underscoring the necessity for an alternate location for the presidential workplace.
„From the start, the Yongsan workplace confronted criticism for its hasty relocation, and safety issues have since emerged,“ he stated. „It’s unlikely that the subsequent administration will select to maintain the workplace in Yongsan.“
Whereas noting that reverting to Cheong Wa Dae could possibly be an possibility, Jang stated that it has now grow to be a cultural and creative area open to the general public, making its reinstatement because the presidential workplace a posh problem. He additionally highlighted potential prices related to restoring its former capabilities.
„The choice finally is dependent upon the subsequent president,“ Jang stated.
With the Sejong presidential workplace already in improvement, Jang sees its transformation into the first presidential workplace as a compelling answer.
„The timing and prices make it probably the most possible possibility, and given Korea’s deal with balanced regional improvement and decentralization, Sejong holds strategic benefits,“ he stated.
Sejong Mayor Choi Min-ho advocates for Sejong’s standing as the executive capital throughout a gathering with performing President Choi Sang-mok at Seoul Authorities Complicated, Jan. 17. Courtesy of Sejong Metropolis Authorities
Sejong’s push to relocate presidential workplace beneficial properties momentum
Sejong Metropolis Authorities can be actively pushing to show the second presidential workplace into the first one, marking the start of what it calls the „Sejong period“ for the presidential workplace.
Sejong Mayor Choi Min-ho met with performing President Choi Sang-mok at Seoul Authorities Complicated on Jan. 17, urging him to assist the relocation of the presidential workplace and advocate for a constitutional modification to formalize Sejong’s standing as the executive capital.
„Given the nation’s dire circumstances, native governments should work intently with the central authorities to revive the economic system,“ the mayor stated within the assembly with the performing president.
„With discussions on the total relocation of the Nationwide Meeting gaining momentum, I hope the federal government may also start preparations for transferring the presidential workplace to Sejong.“
He emphasised that to resolve the nation’s ongoing political instability, constitutional amendments should be thought of, together with designating Sejong as Korea’s administrative capital.
Concerning the town’s proposal, Jang stated that relocating each the presidential workplace and the Nationwide Meeting would improve Sejong’s infrastructure in comparison with its present state, the place solely authorities ministries have been moved.
„Lawmakers wield affect and prioritize the event of their constituencies. If this plan materializes, lawmakers representing Sejong will seemingly grow to be a number of the most influential figures within the nation,“ Jang stated.
He additionally identified that if the Nationwide Meeting relocates, different authorities establishments nonetheless primarily based in Seoul might comply with, strengthening Sejong’s position as an administrative hub.
Constitutional, sensible challenges stay
Regardless of rising advocacy, some stay skeptical about Sejong changing into the executive capital.
Lee Chang-moo, a professor of city planning and engineering at Hanyang College, says that changing the Sejong workplace into the first presidential workplace is unrealistic.
„The relocation of the presidential workplace is inherently linked to the difficulty of capital relocation. It’s not nearly selecting a brand new workplace location,“ Lee stated. „It might reignite the controversy over transferring the capital itself.“
He additionally raised issues in regards to the feasibility of sustaining the relocation amid potential authorized challenges.
In 2004, the Constitutional Courtroom dominated that the New Capital Metropolis Founding Act, handed beneath the Roh Moo-hyun administration, violates the Structure. The courtroom cited an implicit „customary constitutional precept“ that designates Seoul because the capital.
Lee urged that whereas utilizing the second presidential workplace for key capabilities might circumvent authorized points, relocating the primary presidential workplace completely to Sejong might set off renewed constitutional debates.
„To keep away from the capital relocation problem, the primary presidential workplace would seemingly stay in Seoul,“ he stated. „Even when the Sejong workplace is utilized quickly, future administrations might all the time select to return to Seoul.“
