[Comprehensive] The Controversial Issue of 'Administrative Capital Relocation'... Divided Opinions in the Political Sphere

Lee Nak-yeon "Support Capital Relocation Based on Bipartisan Agreement"
Kim Du-kwan "Completing Administrative Capital Was Roh Moo-hyun's Election Pledge"
Even Within United Party, Support for Administrative Capital Relocation
53.9% of Citizens Support Administrative Capital Relocation

Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 21st and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] As the proposal to relocate the National Assembly, the Blue House, and government ministries to Sejong City gains traction centered around the Democratic Party of Korea, opinions within the political sphere are divided. In particular, conflicts are intensifying as even within the opposition party, views on relocating the administrative capital differ.

On the 21st, Kim Tae-nyeon, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, officially announced the formation of the "Special Committee for the Completion of the Administrative Capital."

At the floor leaders' meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Kim said, "Completing the administrative capital is a crucial national issue that will determine balanced national development and the century-long future of the Republic of Korea," adding, "The population of the metropolitan area, which accounts for only 11.8% of the national land area, has surpassed that of non-metropolitan areas, resulting in social side effects such as overcrowding and rising housing prices."

Kim further stated regarding the completion of the administrative capital, "It can be resolved without going as far as constitutional amendments or national referendums," and "It is entirely possible through legislative decisions such as revising the Act on the Administrative City with bipartisan agreement."

He also extended an invitation to civil society to participate in the Special Committee for the Completion of the Administrative Capital. He said, "To actively promote social discussions, I formally propose to the political sphere and civil society the formation of the Special Committee for the Completion of the Administrative Capital in the National Assembly."

In his speech as the leader of the negotiating groups at the National Assembly on the 20th, Kim proposed, "Let us relocate the National Assembly, the Blue House, and all government ministries to Sejong City to alleviate metropolitan area overcrowding and real estate issues."

Previously, during the Roh Moo-hyun administration in 2004, the Constitutional Court ruled the government's plan to relocate the administrative capital unconstitutional, stating, "Seoul holds the status of the capital under customary constitutional law."

Regarding the Constitutional Court's ruling, Kim emphasized, "The court's decision is not immutable," and "The Republic of Korea in 2004 is different from that in 2020."

He argued, "The 2004 ruling based on customary constitutional law was controversial even at that time," and questioned, "Is it right to be bound by the legal judgment of 2004 to determine the future of the Republic of Korea after 2020?"

Within the Democratic Party, there are opinions supporting the capital relocation on the premise of bipartisan agreement. On the 21st, Representative Lee Nak-yeon appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' and expressed support, saying, "Bipartisan consultations are necessary with the goal of a full administrative capital relocation."

Kim Doo-kwan, who served as Minister of the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, wrote on his Facebook on the same day, "Only dismantling the Seoul Republic is the sole way for the Republic of Korea to survive," adding, "All central ministries must relocate to Sejong. The National Assembly must move down, the Blue House must relocate, and even the excellent universities concentrated in Seoul should be dispersed to the provinces. Only then can the country survive, the people live, and the door to overcoming polarization open."

He added, "Completing the administrative capital is a historic national task for balanced development and regional innovation, which was also President Roh Moo-hyun's election pledge and dream."

At the Democratic Party's budget policy meeting for Daejeon, Sejong, Chungbuk, and Chungnam held at the National Assembly that day, local government heads unanimously welcomed the proposal, saying, "Local residents are filled with expectations."

Daejeon Mayor Heo Tae-jung, Sejong Mayor Lee Chun-hee, Chungbuk Governor Lee Si-jong, and Chungnam Governor Yang Seung-jo signed a joint declaration from the Chungcheong region supporting the completion of the administrative capital, including the Sejong Assembly Hall.

National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug, during a meeting with Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo, said, "Balanced national development is a task we must pursue. The metropolitan area accounts for only 11.8% of the national land area, but more than half of the population is concentrated there, causing various side effects," and added, "If the Sejong National Assembly is realized, it can lead balanced national development and its role," lending his support.

Photo by Yonhap News

Opinions within the opposition party are also divided over relocating the administrative capital. Lee Jong-bae, policy chief of the United Future Party, responded positively, saying, "It is necessary from the perspective of resolving metropolitan area overcrowding and regional balanced development."

Former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon also said at a study meeting held at the National Assembly, "It could become a very big issue in the next presidential election, so we need to consider it proactively." He added, "Our party instinctively showed rejection and responded negatively, calling it a 'real estate phase change card.' That should not be the case."

Representative Jang Je-won wrote on his Facebook the same day, "I don't understand why our party consistently opposes and dismisses the Sejong City administrative capital completion theory," adding, "If it is dismissed as a Democratic Party tactic to change the political situation, ultimately, we will be the ones who lose."

He further argued, "We should lead discussions on overall regional balanced development with even stronger voices than the Democratic Party." He expressed the opinion that the party should expand discussions on overall regional balanced development.

On the other hand, the United Future Party leadership opposes the ruling party's administrative capital relocation proposal. Kim Jong-in, emergency committee chairman of the United Future Party, said on the 20th regarding the Sejong City relocation proposal, "Isn't it impossible to overturn the Constitutional Court ruling at this point?"

Floor leader Joo Ho-young also said the day before, "(The administrative capital relocation) was ruled unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court," and "We judge that the Democratic Party brought up this issue to divert attention due to rising housing prices in the metropolitan area."

Party spokesperson Bae Jun-young issued a statement titled "Why talk about capital relocation when the Blue House's promise to move to Gwanghwamun hasn't even been kept," criticizing, "If they can't even move 2 km, how do they expect to move 150 km?" He criticized the administrative capital relocation theory as "a demagoguery attempt to gain votes by any means as the president's approval rating plummets due to real estate missteps and the lack of further policies and implementation capabilities."

He added, "The ruling party's irresponsibility in throwing out a national agenda requiring constitutional amendment without discussion or public consent is only causing land prices in Sejong City to fluctuate and making residents of Daejeon and Cheongju uneasy," and concluded, "No matter how irresponsible and incompetent the government is, stop giving irrelevant answers."

Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, a public opinion poll showed that more than half of the citizens support the plan to relocate the Blue House, National Assembly, and government ministries to Sejong City.

According to a survey conducted by Realmeter on the 21st targeting 500 adult men and women nationwide, 53.9% of respondents supported relocating the administrative capital.

Opposition to the relocation was 34.3%, and 11.8% responded that they did not know. The regions with higher support rates were Gwangju and Jeolla (68.8%) and Daejeon, Sejong, and Chungcheong (66.1%).

Conversely, in Seoul, where the institutions currently reside, the support rate was 42.5%, lower than the opposition rate of 45.1%.

Support rates by age group were 66.6% for those in their 20s, 60.4% for those in their 30s, 58.8% for those in their 40s, 50.1% for those in their 50s, 39.8% for those in their 60s, and 42.4% for those aged 70 and above, showing a tendency to decrease with older age groups.

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