In a significant move to reduce the dominance of Seoul, South Korea announced plans to establish a second presidential office and legislative complex in the administrative city of Sejong. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to relocate hundreds of government institutions out of the capital, aiming to foster balanced regional development and address the widening regional divide.
The South Korean government has long grappled with the concentration of approximately half of its 51 million population in the Seoul metropolitan area, driven by job and education opportunities. The latest plan includes relocating the gender equality ministry and prosecution service, building on the relocations that began in 2012 with the prime minister's office moving to Sejong, about 120 kilometers south of Seoul.
Since the initial move in 2012, 44 central government bodies, including the finance and health ministries, have already been relocated to Sejong. Officials announced that 350 public institutions based in the Seoul metropolitan area will have their relocation plans finalized by 2026. Prime Minister Han Seong-sook emphasized that balanced growth is now essential for the sustainable development of South Korea.
The government aims to complete the second presidential office in Sejong by August 2029 and a second National Assembly building by 2033. Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung suggested that the foreign and unification ministries could also be relocated once these complexes are completed. This announcement follows significant investments by chip giants Samsung Electronics and SK hynix in a chip hub in southwest South Korea, further aiming to reduce regional inequality.
Many regions in South Korea are facing shrinking and ageing populations, leading to the closure of schools and children's clinics. As of 2024, 130 of South Korea's 228 cities, counties, and districts—or 57 percent—were at risk of disappearing due to population decline. The Seoul capital region, despite accounting for just 12 percent of the country's land, contributes 53 percent of the national GDP and over three-fifths of the country's research and development investment, according to OECD data.
President Lee Jae Myung highlighted that the extreme imbalance in the country's development is at the root of many of South Korea's current problems. By decentralizing government bodies, the nation hopes to stimulate growth in other regions, mitigate population decline, and create a more balanced and sustainable future.
