Gyeonggi Province Gov. Kim Dong-yeon pledged Thursday to begin his presidency in Sejong, South Korea’s de facto administrative capital, if elected in the upcoming June 3 election.
“If I win the election, I will start working as president in Sejong City the next day,” Kim said during a visit to Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. He also floated the idea of adding a runway for the presidential jet at nearby Cheongju Airport to support the relocation.
Kim’s remarks align with his broader pledge to downsize the presidential office, which currently employs around 500 staff. He said he would immediately reduce the office to about 100 employees, excluding departments for foreign affairs and national security, and delegate more power to the Cabinet.
Kim said that he would also move the National Assembly, the Supreme Court and the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office of Korea to Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol relocated the presidential office and residence to two different locations in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, in 2022, pledging a leaner operation, but later reinstated many of its previous functions.
Kim is competing in the Democratic Party of Korea’s primary against former chair Rep. Lee Jae-myung and former Gov. Kim Kyoung-soo.
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