Administrative Capital

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Efforts are underway to make Sejong City the administrative capital of Korea during the next constitutional revision. The government of Sejong City and local civic groups are stepping up efforts to convince the public ahead of the Chuseok holiday as the previous attempt to make Sejong the administrative capital was ruled unconstitutional. Here’s more.

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One of the bills proposed as part of the constitutional amendment by the National Assembly is making Sejong City the administrative capital of Korea. PR materials on the issue are distributed to passengers at a railway station. This is done to convince the public of the need to make Sejong the nation's administrative capital. The efforts are aimed at officially designating Sejong as the administrative capital while preserving the existing status of Seoul as the capital city of Korea. The upcoming Chuseok holiday period, which is when many will be visiting the city, will likely serve as a decisive factor in swaying the public.

[Soundbite] Kim Soo-hyun(Sejong Participatory Solidarity) : "We believe that people who visit Sejong during the holiday will play an important role in publicizing this issue after they return home."

After the Chuseok holiday, efforts to promote Sejong into the administrative capital will spread to the Seoul metropolitan area and the southern regions of Korea in order to join hands with pro-decentralization groups and sway the public. Online activities have also begun, with petitions being posted on the Cheong Wa Dae web site. The government of Sejong City plans to focus on publicizing the need to designate Sejong as an administrative capital among constitutional law scholars and convince politicians.

[Soundbite] Lee Chun-hee(Sejong City Mayor) : "Sejong city government will play the role of an official gateway. Our official stance will be delivered to the central government and the National Assembly."

Attention is focusing on whether or not Sejong City will eventually become the nation's administrative capital after a failed attempt a few years ago.