South Korea unveils plan to shift presidential office to Sejong by 2029

South Korea's government has announced a major decentralisation push, confirming plans to establish a presidential office in the administrative city of Sejong by August 2029. The move is part of a broader strategy to reduce the overwhelming concentration of population, capital, and infrastructure in the Seoul metropolitan region.

The government will begin relocating central agencies to Sejong in the first half of 2027, prioritising bodies with the largest scale or impact. The plan also includes relocating about 350 additional public institutions from the capital area, with the first moves expected to start that same year.

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said the measures address regional imbalances, particularly as many parts of the country face demographic decline. The government will seek legislative changes to allow ministries currently barred from relocation—such as the Justice Ministry and the Gender Equality Ministry—to move as well. The Prosecution Service and the National Police Agency will shift once their new headquarters are completed.

This marks the second major round of public sector relocation. Between 2012 and 2021, 43 central government agencies moved to Sejong, a city created in 2012 to ease congestion in Seoul. The presidency, however, has remained in the capital until now.

Separately, the government plans to cut or restructure 109 public institutions by merging overlapping bodies, including combining five state power generators and four port authorities. An additional National Assembly building in Sejong is slated for completion by 2033.