Jang Je-won Supports 'Sejong City as Administrative Capital'... "I Don't Understand Why It's Being Rejected"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hye-min] Jang Je-won, a member of the Future United Party, has come out in support of the proposal by Kim Tae-nyeon, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, to relocate the Blue House and the National Assembly to Sejong City.

On the 22nd, Jang said on his Facebook, "I cannot understand why our party consistently opposes and dismisses the idea of completing Sejong City as the administrative capital."

He added, "If it is dismissed simply as a political maneuver by the Democratic Party, ultimately, we will be the ones at a disadvantage," and questioned, "Can we say that the basic income theory we advocate has no political intention to expand the party's base?"

Jang emphasized, "The reason we cannot just oppose is very clear," and asked, "Can we discuss the future of the nation while leaving the current concentration in the metropolitan area as it is? Should we leave the declining local areas as they are?"

He criticized, "More than half of the National Assembly members are from the metropolitan area, and over half of South Korea's population is concentrated there. Even Busan, the second-largest city, is losing population," adding, "Soon, decisions made in Seoul will become the decisions of South Korea, and voices outside the metropolitan area may disappear."

Regarding the Constitutional Court's previous ruling of unconstitutionality, Jang said, "A ruling made 16 years ago is not an eternal ruling."

He urged the party leadership to take a progressive stance, saying, "The United Party should lead discussions on comprehensive regional balanced development, including large-scale relocation of public institutions and expansion of local staff, beyond just completing the administrative capital, with even stronger voices than the Democratic Party at the level of national reform."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.