Key facts
- South Korea plans to establish a presidential office in Sejong by August 2029.
- Central government agencies will begin relocating to Sejong in the first half of 2027.
- Approximately 350 public institutions will be moved from the Seoul metropolitan area.
- A second National Assembly building is slated for completion in Sejong by 2033.
- The initiative aims to foster balanced regional growth and ease capital region concentration.
South Korea's government has announced plans to establish a presidential office in the administrative city of Sejong by August 2029 and relocate approximately 350 public institutions from the Seoul metropolitan region, beginning in 2027. Prime Minister Han Seong-sook stated the move is intended to promote balanced national development and alleviate the concentration of population, capital, businesses, and infrastructure in the capital region.
The relocation of central administrative agencies will commence in the first half of 2027, prioritizing those with significant scale or impact. The plan also includes the completion of an additional National Assembly building in Sejong by 2033. This initiative represents a significant expansion of public sector relocations, following the earlier move of 44 central government agencies to Sejong between 2012 and 2021. Furthermore, the government aims to reduce the number of public institutions by 109 through structural reforms, consolidation of overlapping functions, and merging smaller entities.
Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung indicated that specific relocation plans and the agencies involved will be finalized and announced in the fourth quarter of the current year. The government is considering moving ministries such as foreign affairs and unification, and new offices will be built for agencies like the National Police Agency and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency.